SIRE
’Een doodgewoon gesprek’
Briefing
Death is an integral part of our lives, yet over one in three people never discuss it. We tend to keep death at a distance, but engaging in conversations about it is crucial for processing grief during the mourning process.
Our fear of death and uncertainty about how to address it often make us reluctant to talk openly. Instead, we prefer to sidestep the issue. While this is a natural human reaction, it ultimately hinders our ability to cope. Through this campaign, SIRE seeks to encourage reflection and open dialogue by bringing "death" into the conversation.
Approach
In the campaign, we highlighted how we tend to avoid discussing death, often out of discomfort and without realizing the impact of our words. We frequently resort to clichés that don't truly help others. We make an emotional appeal to engage in these conversations and encourage people to steer clear of well-meaning platitudes.
By doing so, we miss the opportunity for meaningful dialogue. Death needs to become a topic of conversation. However, it’s not enough to simply call for this in a commercial. Through social media, we demonstrated how to approach the subject of death. Three influencers engaged in conversations about death with loved ones. This content was shared across the social media platforms of Roué Verveer, Julia Mekkes, and Tim Senders, as well as through SIRE’s own channels.
Results
The call to confront the topic of death resonates profoundly, with the stories shared in the campaign strengthening the bonds between individuals and their loved ones.
As a result, the willingness to discuss death has significantly increased, showing a remarkable rise of 31%. This shift has transformed death from a taboo subject into an essential part of life that fosters closer connections. The number of people willing to talk with friends about the passing of a loved one has more than doubled. Additionally, a growing percentage of individuals (36%) believe that discussing death helps alleviate the fear associated with it.