Someplace Nice: Why this war movie’s story keeps changing

Most agency creatives would agree that stories make ad messages easily absorbable and a gripping movie-like war scene has the right DNA to grab most attention. The idea for using one as a PSA for the Alzheimer Society of Calgary and Dementia Network Calgary, however, came not from a creative agency but Toronto production company, Someplace Nice.

The 45 second scene is the visualisation of a story a young man’s grandmother is trying to recount for him about her brother. Her narration stumbles, and the visualisation changes, as she forgets and changes details. She becomes increasingly upset, underlying the emotional toll of degenerative brain diseases. The tagline, Dementia takes more than memories, underline the fact that the toll affects many people.

“Our goal was to create an emotive commercial that would move the needle on raising awareness about dementia in the community and the effects it has on families as well as the person with the diagnosis,” explained Jill Petrovic, director, philanthropy & engagement, Alzheimer Society Calgary.

The ad, Forgetting the Past, was created and directed by Andy Ferreira.

“I chose to tackle the subject of dementia, as it seems to not garner the rabid response that other diseases do as it’s perceived to only afflict the aged,” he commented.

“The reality is that it cripples entire families as you are forced to watch and physically deal with the process of your loved one losing themselves.”

Forgetting The Past is running online and will be broadcast on regional television stations in Calgary.