Oh, Alzheimer’s Society, you sure know how to make an entrance – or should I say, an emotional gut-punch that leaves us feeling like Eddie Hall has been pulling on our heartstrings and milking our tear ducts.

Their latest ad, “The Long Goodbye,” doesn’t just tug at your heartstrings; it yanks them out and stomps on them for good measure. This campaign dives headfirst into the bleak, soul-crushing reality of dementia. And surprise, surprise – some folks think it’s a bit too much, so much so they had to write letters to the ASA.

Imagine sitting down for a quiet evening of TV and suddenly being hit with the stark portrayal of a mother dying repeatedly. For those living in blissful ignorance about the horrors of dementia, this might seem like emotional overkill. Cue the complaints about “unjustifiable distress”.

Let’s talk about that distress, shall we? This ad doesn’t sugarcoat the relentless loss experienced by families. Nope, it serves it raw and unfiltered, aiming to slap us awake to the grim reality faced by millions. The narrative calls it a “living grief,” where loved ones watch parts of their dear ones disappear bit by bit. You wanted awareness? Well, here it bloody well is – in all its painful glory.

Yet from a marketing POV, especially for charities, isn’t stirring the pot exactly the point? They’re not in the business of making us feel comfortable. They need to jolt us out of complacency, make us uncomfortable enough to act, and maybe even part with some cash to help fight this disease​.

Sure, some viewers might feel like they’ve been emotionally mugged. But maybe that’s what it takes. After all, you can’t just whisper the horrors of dementia and hope people listen. Sometimes you need a megaphone and prime-time ad placements. So yes, this ad might feel like a sucker punch to the feels, but in the grand scheme of things, maybe that’s just what we need to wake up and do something about it.

In the end, isn’t that the power of storytelling? To move us – sometimes uncomfortably so – into action? So here’s to Alzheimer’s Society for not just telling a story, but making us live it, feel it, and hopefully, change it.