It starts like your typical Disney-style fairy tale: After slaying a dragon, a prince and princess ride off into the sunset.
But their happily-ever-after turns upside down when the prince is “struck by an invisible force far more powerful than the dragon,” says the film’s narrator, British actress Olivia Colman.
Prince Charming begins to show signs of memory loss, fearfulness and a decline in his physical strength. Soon he is “a stranger she no longer recognized,” Colman says. The sad reveal at the end is that he has dementia.
This reverse fairy tale is a campaign from the nonprofit Alzheimer’s Research UK, which calls for support in finding a cure for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease–the leading cause of death in the U.K.
Created by agency Above+Beyond, “Change the Ending” launches on World Alzheimer’s Day on Sept. 21. The film is part of the organization’s new platform, “For a Cure,” aiming to draw attention to the reality of dementia for both those living with it and the people caring for them.
Alzheimer’s Research UK found that 49% of the British public can name memory loss as an effect of dementia, with 22% saying they have no idea how the condition impacts people.
“While most people have some idea of what dementia is, we tend to assume it’s just an inevitable part of growing older,” explained Above+Beyond chief strategy officer Dena Walker, who added that Alzheimer’s is just one form of dementia that can manifest different symptoms. “We need to spark more conversation around dementia and how evil this disease really is, so people are stimulated to do more about it.”
With “For a Cure,” Alzheimer’s Research UK wants to shift focus from mere awareness raising to “galvanizing people to get behind [the organization] and their mission to search for a cure,” said Walker.
To do so, Above+Beyond decided to start with a recognizable genre–fairy tales–and subvert the tropes. At the end of the story, the animation switches to live action to portray a real couple facing the disease.
“The rug-pull shows how cruel it is that dementia steals the happily-ever-afters from millions in the U.K.,” Walker added.
The campaign will launch with a special ad break on Channel 4 News, before running across TV, cinemas and social media.
CREDITS:
Head of Brand: Lorna Dawson
Brand Manager: Hannah Reynolds
Creative Agency: Above+Beyond
Chief Creative Officer: Dom Goldman
Creatives: Artem Bjork, Ash Prentice and Tim Van der Mee
Managing Director: Jonny Ray
Business Director: Anna Fotheringham
Account Executive: Alice Ingram
Chief Production Officer: Laura Graham
Agency Producers: Annabel Jewers, Charlotte Jude and Elin Tiberg
Head of Design: Andy Breese
Designers: Maria Kay and Kieran Rafferty
Strategy Directors: Mike Phillips and Claudia Bennett
Animation Directors: againstallodds
Production Company: Animation – Passion Pictures
Producer: Animation – Matt Saxton
Executive Producer: Animation – Belle Palmer
Production Company: Live Action – Tubby Brother Films
Directors Live Action – Ben and Dan Tubby
Producer Live Action – Rosie Litterick
Producers Post Production: Ellie Thwaites and Karen Noden, No.8 London
Sound Design: Sam Robson, No.8 London
Music: Composer Tom Player via Wake the Town
Music: Dom Bastyra, Wake the Town
Media Agency: Yonder Media
Managing Director: Ed Cox
