Best Writing at the DMAs: Lida and The Alzheimer's Society

In this series we examine the winning work from the 2015 DMA Awards Best Writing category. Peek at the brilliance behind a Silver win for Lida and their client, The Alzheimer’s Society.

Tackling emotional issues around health, well-being and the importance of family poses acute challenges to agencies and the brands they represent.

Lida and their client The Alzheimer’s Society had a brief that took on those challenges. Together they set out on a path to swipe away taboos, humanise the struggle against dementia and push conversions. The result was a DMA Award-winning campaign, Walk for Them.

Words into stories

This was never to be a project that simply rattled the metaphorical charity tin. Immediately the real-life involvement of people, their loved ones and their interrupted lives formed the crux of an emotive writing challenge.

Stretching across media – the campaign featured work in billboard, TV and radio – real-life stories given careful treatment and relayed to the reader in a nuanced, subtle fashion. The work featured copy from the granddaughter of the couple captured in the black and white poster ad: Lida’s Fiona Brown-Hovelt.

It is a gentle plea carrying hard-hitting power and impact. The work functions as a story that tackles youth, family, illness and love.

Read more about the Walk for Them campaign and dip into the thinking behind the ads and see for yourself the impressive results LIDA and The Alzheimer’s Society combined to produce.