Lopez Negrete Communications: We successfully initiated a conversation among U.S. Latinos about the early signs of Alzheimer’s

Lopez Negrete Communications garnered two gold awards at the 2024 HMC Strategic Excellence Awards Powered for its public service campaign, “Some Things Come with Age,” developed in collaboration with the Ad Council for the Alzheimer’s Association. The campaign was recognized in the categories of Best Hispanic Cultural Insight and Impactful Multicultural Research.

To delve into the behind-the-scenes of this campaign and discover how data-driven, culturally informed messages were crafted, members of the Lopez Negrete Communications team participated in a webinar organized by the Hispanic Marketing Council (HMC). The team included Alex Garcia, Executive Creative Director; Patrick Lopez-Negrete, Director of Brand Strategy; and Ana Sofia Maupu, Associate Director of Consumer Insights. The webinar was moderated by Victor Paredes, Education Chair of HMC and Executive Director of Multicultural Strategy at Collage Group.

Patrick Lopez-Negrete explained that the cornerstone of the “Some Things Come with Age” campaign was “sensitivity.” “From the outset, we deeply understood and sought to acknowledge the profound physical and emotional toll of this disease, not just for the individuals afflicted, but also for their loved ones. When it comes to healthcare for Latinos in the US, systemic barriers abound, but more importantly, there are significant cultural hurdles. I believe this campaign effectively addressed these challenges head-on and redefined some of the obstacles preventing Latinos from confronting this disease.”

He highlighted other key aspects of the campaign that they are particularly proud of, the first being the research. ‘We approached it with a genuine sincerity. While we had our plan and data to support many of our decisions and ideas, we also conducted extensive qualitative research. This wasn’t the standard process of simply gathering people in a focus group. We wanted to understand the full spectrum of this disease and the individuals affected by it. To that end, we conducted in-depth interviews with both pre-care partners and the caregivers of these patients.'”

He praised the work of Maupu, whose wealth of in-depth information drove the campaign strategy. “Her vision truly embraced the issue and gave it a radical twist that had a tremendous impact when it was most needed.” He also commended the creative team’s ‘stellar’ work in navigating such an emotionally charged topic. “The message is both moving and impactful, and the tone and execution were paramount. We had to be respectful, informative, empowering, and optimistic, while also approaching the issue with the seriousness it deserves. This approach, which we know resonates well with Latino audiences, effectively balances empathy and urgency.”

They highlighted some of the supporting insights and results: Hispanics are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. However, systemic and cultural barriers that limit access to diagnosis often lead to the early signs of cognitive change going unnoticed or unaddressed within Latino families.

SOME THINGS COME WITH AGE, OTHERS DON’T
They explained that they needed to convince the Hispanic partners to take any signs of cognitive decline in their loved ones seriously, talk about it and get evaluated by a doctor. This is one of the key points of this initiative, that the diagnosis journey begins with the ability to recognize the symptoms, and Hispanics are missing early warning signs under the belief that cognitive decline is an expected age-related change.

“It was crucial for us to avoid framing this campaign solely around aging. Traditionally, Alzheimer’s has been closely associated with the symptoms of dementia. However, it’s important to recognize that some studies are focusing on younger individuals. This was a key point we wanted to emphasize in our communication,” Garcia said.

In an effort to increase early detection of Alzheimer’s and other dimensions, that some things come with age, others don’t campaign, aim to redefine the line between normal symptoms of aging and symptoms of Alzheimer’s, educating Hispanic pre care partners on the 10 key symptoms of the disease and encouraging them to discuss and seek medical diagnosis.

Maupu emphasized the strategic decision to direct audiences to the web portal 10signs.org, aiming to surpass what previous initiatives had achieved. Recognizing the need for better education about early warning signs in the Latino community, this was a point of pride for the team. They successfully leveraged the Alzheimer’s Association’s existing resource, making it the perfect call to action to meet the campaign’s objectives.”

NOT CONFRONTATION, BUT CONVERSATION
To create a more significant impact, one of the key elements they emphasized was confrontation. This was a crucial aspect of the creative message they wanted to highlight. Early diagnosis can be intimidating, especially due to the cultural respect Latinos have for the elderly. Therefore, it was essential to encourage that initial conversation between caregiver and patient.

“Even the word [confrontation[ can be perceived as aggressive within multigenerational Latino families. However, we wanted to portray honest communication between the pre-care provider and the caregiver. This was a moment that required meticulous attention to detail. While there’s a deep respect for the elderly, early symptom detection is crucial for exploring treatment options. Unfortunately, Latinos often adopt a reactive rather than proactive approach to medical care,” Lopez-Negrete said.

He added that if these discussions aren’t addressed early on, Latino families may face what’s known as a crisis moment—a situation where something harmful or serious occurs, such as a physical injury to themselves or others. “We emphasized the importance of overcoming the fear of having a difficult conversation like this in a more human and open manner.”

Garcia explained that in terms of visuals and the print campaign, they wanted to convey the reality of aging—what’s considered normal and what’s not. “Our goal was to spark a conversation about the nuances of aging. From a visual standpoint, the portraits we used were intentionally unsettling, though it might not be immediately apparent. The headlines, graphics, and story all worked together to emphasize the importance of paying attention to certain signs and giving them the attention they deserve.”

DIVERSITY
Another key consideration was the emotional sensitivity of Hispanics to advertising. It was essential to strike a balance between cheerfulness and seriousness, humanity and informativeness, and a welcoming tone and motivation. This is reflected in the audiovisual ads, which depict typical situations within Hispanic homes, showcasing interactions between members of different generations.

Garcia explained that diversity was integrated into the campaign, not just in terms of ethnicity but also age. “Age diversity was crucial. We saw an opportunity to address ageism, a topic that has gained significant attention in recent years. We often discuss expectations for people of all ages—how they should look, act, and behave. Our campaign featured confident older adults, portrayed in a vibrant and casual manner. We wanted to challenge preconceptions about Alzheimer’s and the aging process. Our goal was to encourage people to forget their assumptions and focus on the reality that Alzheimer’s can affect anyone, even those in their 50s. Ultimately, the call to action was simple: learn more about Alzheimer’s, be aware of the symptoms, and start open conversations with your loved ones. This approach, which avoided complex requests like seeking a diagnosis, contributed to the campaign’s success.”

Their research revealed that the relationship between Latino households and their elders differs significantly from non-Hispanic households. “Typically, Latino seniors live in close proximity to their children. We also observed that younger generations often take on the role of caregivers. This insight influenced our decision to portray multigenerational interactions in our campaign,” Maupu said.

Lopez-Negrete added that was one of the reasons they intentionally developed the campaign to be available in both English and Spanish across all relevant platforms. “Whether it’s social media, digital, outdoor advertising, television, or radio, we wanted to ensure that this information reaches a broad segment of the Latino community. Our goal was to empower both younger and older generations to address these issues, engage more actively, and understand the early warning signs.”

RESULTS
They reported that by January 2024, net awareness among Hispanic primary care physicians had soared to 51%, surpassing 31% among the general population. outpacing the 31% among the general population. And those informed by our ads were 2.7 times more likely to distinguish between signs of aging and signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

Furthermore the proportion of Hispanics preparing to discuss Alzheimer’s signs with a family member reached an unprecedented 53%.

“These achievements underscores the campaign effectiveness in fostering critical conversations and enhancing knowledge about Alzheimer’s within the Hispanic community,” they highlighted.

Another significant outcome was that recognition of 10 signs.org has almost doubled since july 2023. For Garcia, this likely represented the campaign’s core objective: empowering individuals to recognize the warning signs of Alzheimer’s. The campaign effectively leverages a well-defined list of 10 signs to differentiate between typical aging and potential symptoms. “This information serves as a crucial foundation for initiating conversations and pursuing diagnosis.”

Watch webinar here