Cadbury Dairy Milk is encouraging people to stop and listen to what the older generation has to say as part of the next iteration of its campaign to end loneliness.
"The originals" by VCCP tackles the stereotypical questions that elderly people are asked, such as whether they feel cold or are sleeping well.
Instead, those in the film say they want to be asked about interesting things such as travelling the world, being a bodybuilding champion or "kissing the most famous rockstar on the planet".
The work launches today (23 September) and will run on Sky Cinema, social and digital channels. It has been created by James Rafter and Myles Vincent, and directed by Billy Boyd Cape through Academy. Media planning and buying is being handled by Carat.
The campaign is once again in partnership with Age UK, for which Cadbury raised £450,000 with its 2019 "Donate your words" work.
"Last year, our campaign was all about raising awareness of the shocking reality of people who go whole weeks without speaking to anyone," said Colin O'Toole, associate director of marketing at Cadbury UK & Ireland.
"This year we want to continue to encourage the connection between you and the person you say hello to. We wanted to focus this in a more uplifting way which celebrates the voices of older people and the lives they've led.
"Donating your words to an older person isn't about sympathy or duty – it's something brimming with possibilities, that we want people to feel excited and motivated to do."
Jonny Parker, creative director at VCCP, added that older people "suffer from an image problem".
He said: "For too long the media has pushed a view of elderly people that all they are is old. They're real people with lives and passions, just like the rest of us. And don't forget this is the generation that paved the way.
"They're the originals of everything – from the idea of living in peace with the world, of equal rights, veganism, free love, festivals in fields and all sorts of things we're all interested in."
Chris Birch, also creative director at VCCP, explained that the coronavirus pandemic has made things worse for older people by reinforcing perceived ideas about them.
He said: "[Covid-19] has deepened the narrative of older people as helpless and at risk. For us it was important to reset and show our older people as the powerful, inspiring individuals they are."
O'Toole said that the virus has meant that life has become a lot harder for older people, especially with the support and contact they receive.
"We really wanted to continue the 'Donate your words' campaign to help build more connections between people who have probably felt the isolation more than most," he explained.
"The demand for our partner Age UK's specialist services is higher than ever before so continuing to support them was the right decision.
"We saw some wonderful examples of individual generosity throughout lockdown, including people connecting with the older people in their own lives.
"We wanted to encourage them to keep having those conversations and their motivation this time should be the chance to discover a truly amazing story from that older person."
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