Living amongst the digital age of technology, electronics and social media, we are used to seeing that dreaded buffering sign as a symbol of technological lag, error, and waiting. However, Stockholm-based agency Kid has turned this buffering symbol into a powerful metaphor for Alzheimerfondens (The Alzheimer Foundation) latest alzheimers awareness campaign.
Alzheimer’s is reimagined through this familiar, digital symbol, as this loading icon is transformed into a striking metaphor for memory loss. Through personal photographs of loved ones, the faces in these pictures are warped into this buffering sign, signalling the harsh realities of Alzheimer’s disease as faces start to buffer, names are forgotten, and memories fade.
The Swedish campaign highlights a harsh reality that more than 160,000 people in Sweden live with some form of dementia, with this number expected to double by 2050.
Liselotte Jansson, secretary general at Alzeimerfonden states, “We need more people to understand what Alzheimer’s does, – not just to individuals, but to entire families. Through powerful, emotional communication, we hope to raise both awareness and much-needed funding for research.”
The campaign will air alongside TV4’s documentary on Swedish artist Kim Kärnfalk and her personal story and experience of Alzheimer’s, stoking an emotional response from viewers and sparking further awareness.
Christian Jörgensen and Ulf Paulsrud-Sirbäck, creatives at Kid, spoke on the campaign, stating,
“We wanted people to feel a hint of the frustration that Alzheimer’s brings – for both those affected and their families. The spinning wheel became the perfect metaphor: it reflects the confusion of the disease and the irritation we all feel when images won’t load,”
The campaign will be showcased across digital billboards donated by Ocean Outdoor, as well as social media, and television to pull viewers into the brutal and emotional effects of experiencing Alzheimer’s.
