Hitting the right notes for Dementia Forward

Young onset dementia affects over 70,000 people under the age of 65 in the UK. And yet, it’s under researched, misunderstood and largely unknown. Even worse: there’s currently no cure.

Enter Dementia Forward – a North Yorkshire-based charity committed to helping people with the condition. In October 2022, they launched their U&ME Campaign and organised National Young Onset Dementia Awareness (YODA) Day to highlight the impact of the disease annually. But they wanted to get as much publicity as possible.

So, for YODA day this year, they decided to release a single that really captured what the experience of dementia is like. Written and performed by Yorkshire singer/songwriter Scott Quinn, it also featured young onset dementia sufferer Jonathon Beardsworth.

With lyrics like “I’m not lost/Inside I’m still the same” they were on a mission to raise awareness of the devastating impact of the condition. And that’s where we came in.

We supported Dementia Forward to plan their campaign and nail the central messaging. We rolled out a detailed engagement strategy. And we then produced a programme of video and social content – and combined it with high impact PR and media relations.

And the results? Well, we think they were reet grand.

• We reached over 10 million people
• We were backed by media and influencers including Sir Richard Branson, Leeds United FC, BBC TV and The Yorkshire Post

And here’s what Jill Quinn MBE, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Dementia Forward, had to say:

“The team at Definition provided incredible support.  Their strategic guidance and input across both social and mainstream media helped the U&ME campaign achieve in excess of 10 million plus optics. 

“Exposure & awareness that also generated significant industry engagement, including Care England, Alzheimer’s Research UK, and Music for Dementia.”