What if diagnosis was the next chapter?

Despite its growing impact, dementia remains widely misunderstood and often stigmatized. With more than 10,000 people living with dementia in Newfoundland and Labrador — a number expected to rise sharply – the Government of NL needed a campaign that would raise awareness, reduce stigma, and support the creation of dementia-friendly communities across the province. The challenge was communicating a complex, emotional topic in a way that was accessible, respectful, and ultimately empowering.

We set out to reframe the narrative around dementia. Rather than focus on limitations, our campaign highlighted the importance of dignity, community, and continued contribution. Through educational messaging and storytelling, we worked to build empathy and awareness across eight pilot communities. Our strategy combined emotional storytelling with practical tools and clear calls to action—giving residents a reason to care and a way to act.

At the heart of the campaign was a fully-animated video titled “The Next Chapter,” which explored dementia from multiple perspectives: the individual, the caregiver, and the broader community. The video was broken into bite-sized pieces for social media, accompanied by supportive content designed to dispel myths, highlight risk factors, and promote dementia-inclusive practices. A mobile-friendly microsite served as the campaign hub, hosting resources, toolkits, and a directory of participating communities. All assets were built with accessibility top of mind—from colour contrast and type size to closed captioning and plain language.

A campaign that made dementia relevant, personal, and approachable. With strong engagement across channels, increased downloads of dementia-friendly resources, and growing momentum across pilot communities, the campaign laid a foundation for lasting change.