Light Up Christmas

Alzheimer’s Society’s 2024 Christmas Appeal, Light Up Christmas, was the most successful Christmas appeal in the charity’s history. At a time of year that can be especially painful for people living with dementia, when the contrast between festive joy and personal struggle is most stark, the campaign invited the public to bring a little light into someone’s darkest moments. The appeal spotlighted real stories, like Derek and Margaret’s, who had faced their first Christmas after a dementia diagnosis with fear and sadness. Thanks to the support they received, they found ways to reconnect with the season. 

These stories formed the emotional heart of a campaign that combined powerful storytelling with cutting-edge strategy. Guided by econometric modelling, the team invested in high-performing channels like radio and inserts, while testing innovations such as mobile-first video, regionalised door drops, and Welsh-language emails. 

The campaign's cold marketing broke even—an extraordinary achievement in Individual Giving—meaning thousands of new donors were acquired at no net cost. This campaign didn’t just raise £1,560,000; it built long-term value, deepened public empathy, and proved that with the right blend of data and humanity, fundraising can be both effective and profoundly moving.