My last post got me thinking, is there such a thing as an innovative persuasive campaign that doesn’t necessarily shout loudest but still gets the powerful message across? Then I stumbled upon this great digital campaign from Alzheimer’s Disease International which asked people to donate their Facebook timelines for World Alzheimer’s Day (21st September). By downloading an app you would be able to experience what it’s like to lose your memory for a day. On the 21st everything from your timeline to your photos disappeared and instead a message read ‘Imagine your life without memories. For 36 million people living with Alzheimer’s disease, this is reality.’
This campaign clearly demonstrates the persuasive communication checklist:
– Audience Analysis – Understood the tone and messaging that distinguishes online communication
– Source Credibility – Message is coming from a repitable source
– Appeal to Self Interest – Putting the campaign into an everyday situation it tied in with general public interest
– Clarity of Message – The call to action was clear with a solid link to the cause
– Timing and Context – Timing the campaign around the national awareness day
– Audience Participation – Getting the online community involved by encouraging them to install the app
– Suggestions for Action – Installing the memory whiping app
– Content and Structure of Message – visual and concise for maximium attention by public
– Persuasive Speaking – Pulled at the heart strings to get their point across
This beautifully understated campaign for a life changing cause gave me a little ray of hope that there are organisations out there that still see the value in truly persuading their public to get on board with a campaign of their own free will.
Does this sort of campaign have the same persuasive value as hard hitting shock tactics?
The PR Crowd 
I think this is a great example of a positive use of persuasive techniques. It certainly strikes a cord for me, as someone who has experienced the effects and sadness that Alzheimer’s can bring to a family. It makes me wonder why there aren’t more simple campaigns like this around, perhaps as an industry PR can be mistaken for who shouts loudest wins, I think this is the perfect example of how to get the point across without being insensitive to the cause.
Thanks for your comment Chloe, I would have to agree that this is an example of a dying breed of campaigns. However with digital innovation becoming ever more a front line discipline, hopefully these sort of techniques will be gracing the campaign trail more frequently!