The Stroke Association is raising awareness of the challenges faced by stroke survivors by placing their stories right at the heart of its campaign.
In the UK, according to the Stroke Association, a stroke strikes every five minutes, making it the leading cause of disability in the country.
Despite the common understanding that it just happens to the elderly, the campaign highlights how it can affect anyone at any time.
Created by AMV BBDO, 'Rebuilding Lives' is directed by Lotje Sodderland, the mind behind the Netflix documentary 'My Beautiful Broken Brain.'
The film is narrated by real stroke survivors, Alisha, Max, Luna, Baz, Erin and Paul, who talk directly to the camera about the traumatic experience of suffering a stroke and their life afterwards.
Each story is symbolized in dynamic works of art, with each piece individually crafted and inspired by the powerful narratives, which illustrates the power of art and visual storytelling to convey the intensity of the trauma.
Using artwork enables the Stroke Association to illustrate how a stroke happens and how the impact varies depending on which part of the brain is affected, which could be anything from wiping out speech and physical abilities to affecting emotions and personality.
Although the survivors are at the centre of the campaign, they are masked by artwork until they are revealed at the end. This leads the viewer to paint a picture of what a stroke survivor looks like, which gets erased at the end when they see it could be anyone or any age - even a seven-year-old child.
Discussing the campaign, the Stroke Association's executive director of marketing said: “When stroke strikes, part of your brain shuts down. And so does a part of you. That’s because a stroke happens in the brain, the control centre for who we are and what we can do.
"The impact varies depending on which part of the brain is affected. It could be anything from wiping out your speech and physical abilities to affecting your emotions and personality. Crucially, the stroke survivors in our campaign are living proof that life after stroke is possible. Recovery is tough, but with the right specialist support and a ton of courage and determination, the brain can adapt.”
Adding to this, AMV BBDO's creative partner Toby Allen said: “We wanted to give stroke survivors a voice and a face, letting them tell their own story in their own words. Each stroke is different and that diversity comes across in the survivors featured and the different ways we’ve represented their experience.”
: 'Rebuilding Lives'