Amid the flurry of Christmas ads this year, this one from Alzheimer’s UK is a poignant tale narrated by Stephen Fry.
The challenge
Christmas is a particularly challenging time for Alzhiemer's sufferers and their loved ones, and the charities wanted to find a new way to get its message across and increase donations during the busy festive season.
The solution
The ad explores the shattering idea of Santa having dementia and forgetting to deliver all of his presents to children around the world on Christmas Eve.
The clip, narrated by Stephen Fry and created by Aardman Animations, highlights the varied symptoms of dementia and raises awareness of the diseases that cause it, most commonly Alzheimer's.
It delves into the story of a young girl called Freya, who has grown up in a world where Santa has stopped visiting on Christmas Eve.
Upon learning about Santa’s dementia she tries her hardest to help, believing that if Santa has a disease, research can find a way to fix it.
Stephen Fry also helped publicise the ad on Twitter.
Did you see the v moving @ARUKNews Christmas #SantaForgot ad? Check it out here if you missed it. https://t.co/hYfhZdsiwd
— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) November 17, 2016
The results
Hilary Evans, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Santa Forgot is a poignant and powerful reminder that dementia doesn’t discriminate. We have to be provocative about dementia, to help fight misconceptions and fatalism around the condition and to demonstrate that pioneering research holds the answers.
“Santa is an important cultural figure, but the idea that he too could be affected drives home the point that dementia can strike those most special in our lives.”
Narrator Stephen Fry added: “From the moment I was told about Santa Forgot I wanted to lend my support - it is an inspiring and beautiful take on a Christmas tale. I urge people up and down the country to get behind the campaign so we can fuel the fight against dementia and take a step forward to making it history.”
The campaign hunts for donation pledges from viewers as a means of funding research into a cure.
