Palliative care and bereavement charity Sue Ryder is launching a new campaign designed to take an unflinching look at how society handles death and grief, seeking to inspire a cultural shift in the way we talk about life’s most inevitable event.
Devised by independent creative agency Impero, the Back For A Moment campaign introduces a new brand platform, ‘Death Deserves Better’, with the aim of creating a social movement that breaks down the barriers to talking about death and dying.
Among the last taboos in modern society, too often people struggle to find the right words to say and, fearing saying the wrong ones, end up saying nothing at all.
The result, at its best, is often an empty platitude, and, at its worst, is neighbours crossing the street to avoid the discomfort of speaking to someone grieving. The latter is something heard several times during focus groups ahead of developing the campaign.
Awkwardness around the topic intensifies the suffering of those facing death or grief. It can leave them feeling scared, unseen, and alone.
The campaign aims to change that by sparking meaningful conversations and encouraging society to give death – and those affected by it – the respect and support they deserve.
Additionally, the charity will reach thousands of grieving people, giving them access to a suite of free support, ranging from an online community for bereaved people, through to online bereavement counselling.
The work comprises two films, supported by radio and digital content, and puts real people at its heart by capturing genuine moments of them revisiting digital memories of their loved ones.
It will run across TV, VOD, radio and digital, for a three month period. There will also be a partnership with ITV, in January.
In each film, we meet a different person at home, alone, using content on their phones as a means to bring their loved ones back for a moment.
One film features a woman listening to a heartfelt voice note from her mother saying that she loves her. She moves around her empty flat while listening to the voicemail over and over.
Another film shows a woman watching a video of her partner playing with their child, as she cries alone on her sofa, with framed photos of her partner visible in the background.
In both films, shot by the award-winning director duo Tubby Brothers, the names of the people who have died appear on screen, followed by text stating that 88% of people feel alone in their grief. A voiceover says: “Together, we can make sure that no one faces death or grief alone, because, at Sue Ryder, we believe grief deserves better.”
The campaign highlights how disconnected we can be from each other in these moments of need, underscoring the message that death and grief deserve better.
Sue Ryder head of brand and marketing Victoria Kubie said: “This campaign marks the start of a long term brand strategy for Sue Ryder to break the taboo of death, and ultimately to help build a society that supports everyone through dying and grief.
“We’re incredibly grateful to our contributors for sharing such intimate stories and allowing us to see them at their most vulnerable. Through this campaign we are working to ensure no one faces death or grief alone. And by sharing real stories, we hope people watching relate to them, get talking about death and grief with their loved ones and feel inspired to support Sue Ryder.”
Impero managing director Emily Winterbourne added: “We want this campaign to inspire change. To nudge society to show up for people in their hardest moments. When you show people in focus groups your idea, and they say ‘That’s me, I do that. I’ve still got my dad’s voice on my landline answering machine’ you know you’re onto something powerful.”
Related stories
How you can thrive in 2025…with charity fundraising
More and more Brits see advertising as a force for good
Brands offered framework for tackling societal issues
Care in the community: Brands urged to mend society
Businesses claim ESG issues are just marketing puffery
