Heart Breaking Age UK Film Highlights Charity’s Vital Support for Older People

neverland’s first work for Age UK launches today, with a campaign showing how despite apparently going about their lives quite serenely, some older people are facing agonising challenges this winter. Inspired by real stories, the campaign highlights the sensitivity and expertise with which Age UK helps, providing older people with practical solutions and precious reassurance.

Launching the campaign is a series of 60” and 30” films directed by Molly Burdett of Spindle. Molly is one of the industry’s most exciting new directors after being named best new director at the 2021 Kinsale Sharks, and winning a Glass Lion for her ‘Have a Word’ campaign for the Mayor of London in 2022.

neverland worked with Age UK to develop this campaign against the context of one of the most difficult winters many older people will have ever experienced, as they try to make their fixed incomes stretch to cover the essentials at a time when prices are soaring. 

In the 60 second launch film, we see three older people seemingly happily going about their lives with the action set to the northern soul classic ‘Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy’ by The Tams. But we soon realise that all is not what it seems as one of the three’s electricity meter runs out, bringing an abrupt stop to the upbeat music. 

In a harrowing rug pull, we begin to understand the reality of the situations each of the characters faces: lack of companionship, struggling to pay for electricity, and despair at the prospect of being unable to afford the heating, plus the acute distress they feel at being in these situations. The films end with one of the characters calling Age UK’s Advice Line for help, followed by the new campaign line: ‘Know what to do’. The intention is that this will encourage older people in difficulty and their families to seek out information, advice and support from the Charity, online, over the phone or by letter or email, as they prefer. 

Forgoing the longer film’s cheery set up and rug pull, the three 30 second edits are very hard hitting. They focus squarely on the issues often faced by older people, before showing them calling Age UK for help.

Kathi Hall, head of content strategy and brand at Age UK, said, “I couldn’t be prouder of our new brand campaign. The films have real beauty and poignancy within them, while showing the uncomfortable reality of the challenges a lot of older people in our society are facing and how Age UK helps, all in a way that will hopefully stay in people’s minds and hearts.”

Noel Bunting (Hamilton), executive creative director of neverland, said, “Age UK’s service could help to change the life of someone you know. So watch these films, share them, and tell everyone you know about their Advice Line.”

Molly Burdett, director, said, “I was immediately drawn to the very real and desperate situations depicted in these scripts. With so many older people suffering silently due to the cost of living, it felt more urgent and relevant than ever, and I felt these films needed to be subtle but powerful.

It’s a film of two halves - in the opening frames older people are seen through rose tinted glasses, living seemingly happy lives. The second half exposes the brutal, harsh realities experienced by some. To land this, we needed to lull the audience into a false sense of security. The first half captures naturalistic, light imagery in an upbeat vignette style edit, accompanied by a joyful, ironic track. A stark contrast to the second half, where an eerie tone builds, amplified by slow, suspenseful camera moves and a minimal soundscape.  I worked with Tom Townend to design the colour and lighting to work in contrast to one another, adapting our framing and camera movement to match the tone of each half of the film and reflect the uncomfortable reality people face. 

I really hope these films help draw attention to the situation and urge older people in crisis to reach out for support.”

Stitch Richardson, managing director of Spindle said, “From the second we saw neverland’s initial scripts, we knew just how important this campaign could be and that we wanted to play a part in it. As a company, we place a huge value on supporting social and environmental causes, and hope this helps raise awareness to the challenges older people face, and that they can find help and reassurance with Age UK."

The campaign is the first work created for Age UK by neverland, who won the account in late 2022 through a pitch process run by Oystercatchers. 

Media for the campaign was planned and bought by Manning Gottlieb OMD, Medialab and Enjoy Digital. 

Age UK’s internal teams will be running their PR outreach to support the campaign across the year.