Republica Havas’ Poignant “Second” Campaign Sheds Light on the Dangers of Alzheimer’s to its Victims

Agency aligns with Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease Association to build awareness

MIAMI – February 23, 2024 – Award-winning creative, media, and communications agency Republica Havas is launching a dramatic campaign this month to convey a sobering message about one of Alzheimer’s most threatening effects on its victims – sudden lapse of memory, leading to disorientation and confusion.

More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s today, and this number is projected to hit 13 million by 2050. Among the disease’s symptoms are loss of memory and/or sense of location or whereabouts, as well as forgetfulness of recently learned information.

Second” depicts the abrupt change that occurs in that moment when Alzheimer’s victims unexpectedly find themselves lost, confused and forgetful while in public, alone on a city street.

The campaign is eloquently relayed across three graphic images distinguished by color – blue, green and red, each featuring natural light streaming between buildings to serve as the spotlight on the subjects amid shadows of darkness against the backdrop of a concrete jungle softened by subtle architectural elements.

“This campaign not only allows us to reach more people and make many aware of the existence of our Association, made up of volunteer family members and professionals willing to help, but also shows one of the most frequent symptoms of patients with some type of dementia,” said Guillermo Andrés Ferro, Vice President of Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease Association. “The clarity of the light that illuminates these people’s path reflects a short moment of lucidity that a patient may have; the shadows that precede it are a mostly unremembered past; and the subsequent darkness toward which the walkers are heading shows the uncertainty and unknowing of what is to come … both where the wanderer is headed as well as the future of that patient, their caregiver and the family.”

For versatile use across U.S. and Latin American markets, “Second” is created in English and Spanish (“Segundo”) and includes print publication and out-of-home (OOH) advertising assets.

This marks the second consecutive year that Republica Havas has joined forces with Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease Association. In 2023, the collaborative “The Name Confusion” campaign garnered several international awards, including two Cannes Lions. Additionally, the agency is currently producing another campaign with the association.

“Once again, we’re creating relevant work that creates awareness – not only about the disease and Alzheimer’s symptoms but also about where to go for help when suffering from the disease or how to help someone showing symptoms,” said Tony Waissmann, Republica Havas Chief Creative Officer. “This campaign speaks of those who wander the streets absolutely lost, in an instant not knowing who they are, where they are going, or what they are doing there. I think we found a clear and yet metaphorical way to talk about this situation, illustrating a moment of lucidity suddenly lost in total darkness with the aid of beautiful photography and a ray of light that enters between the buildings to represent that moment of lucidity as opposed to darkness, where the confusion is total.”

Added Jorge A. Plasencia, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Republica Havas: “‘Second’ is a truly poignant message that inspires sensitivity among loved ones and strangers, alike, of Alzheimer’s victims. We are very proud of this important work and are committed to supporting our partners, Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease Association, in elevating awareness and education about this increasingly common disease via unique and impactful messaging.”

For more information, contact Cecile Corral, Senior Communications Strategist, at [email protected].

“SECOND” TECHNICAL DATA SHEET
Agency: Republica Havas, Miami
CEO: Jorge A. Plasencia
President: Luis Casamayor
General Manager: Anthony Bianco
CCO: Tony Waissmann
Creative Director: Martin Stuart
Associate Creative Director: David Thackeray
Executive Director & Head of Experiences: Gustavo Fernandez
Photographer: Lucila Blumencweig
Producer: Silvina Lommi / La Perla BA
Photo Retouching: Diego Chiliano
Client Contact: Gladys Bangueses / Guillermo Andrés Ferro