Facebook's 'On This Day' feature, available for months, lets users revisit posts from years past on the same date. It's a delightful way to rediscover funny status updates, early photos with loved ones, viral videos we shared, and more. Each day, whether on desktop or mobile, Facebook surfaces a memory image at the top, inviting you to share it or explore other content from that day. For World Alzheimer's Day, the platform partnered with France Alzheimer to give this feature a poignant twist.
Starting last night, many users encountered blurred images of people on hikes—vague enough to mimic personal memories, prompting double-takes. 'The photo is intentionally fuzzy to make people question if it's their own memory,' explains Agnès Gorczyca, communication manager for France Alzheimer. The goal? To evoke the disorientation experienced by those with Alzheimer's, fostering empathy for a disease that erodes memories, strains families, and breeds misunderstanding. The campaign ran until noon on September 22, 2016.
Clicking the memory redirects users to France Alzheimer's homepage. This marks the first time Facebook repurposed one of its core features for advocacy. For the association, it's a fresh communication strategy targeting caregivers: 'This year, we're highlighting the challenges faced by family members juggling work and care. It's tougher to explain leaving early for a doctor's appointment with mom than for school pickup,' notes Gorczyca. Younger people are impacted too, as 70% of patients live at home, often sharing spaces with relatives. That's why this resonates on social media.
Alzheimer's affects over 850,000 people in France, with nearly 3 million directly or indirectly touched. Kudos to Facebook for this innovative awareness effort!
