Unilever brand images from yesteryear brought back to life in National Museums Liverpool’s ‘My House of Memories App’
- Unilever has released a collection of archived advertising and brand images to be included in National Museums Liverpool’s My House of Memories app
- New partnership will support people living with dementia and their carers
- The partnership will be announced at a special launch event held at Unilever’s Port Sunlight site today
A new partnership between National Museums Liverpool and Unilever Archives is bringing iconic Unilever advertising and brand images out of the archive and onto the My House of Memories app, to support people living with dementia.
The new ‘Unilever Brands’ app package includes memorable advertisements and objects including Domestos, ‘Big Bad Dom’, retro packaging featuring Persil’s ‘Wash Whiter’ promise and Jif’s ‘The simplest way to squeeze a lemon’ campaign.
Currently, 850,000 people are living with dementia in the UK, with numbers set to rise to over 1 million by 2025 and to have doubled to 2 million by 2051. Created by National Museums Liverpool, the easy-to-use and free to download My House of Memories app was developed for people living with dementia and their carers. Using the power of objects to evoke past experiences, the app includes visual and audio prompts to inspire conversation and the sharing of memories.
With many Unilever brands crossing generations of use, their advertisements, catch phrases and well-known characters are an effective way to trigger memories and create conversations. Lever first produced Sunlight Soap in Port Sunlight back in 1888 and today Unilever products can be found in 9 out of every 10 UK homes. These iconic brands have and continue to hold a memorable place in British homes and family life.
To celebrate the launch of their partnership, an event held at Unilever’s iconic Port Sunlight site showcased a collection of archive images and objects used in the app. Unilever staff and guests were given the opportunity to use the app and to take part in a House of Memories dementia-awareness training session on the day.
Carol Rogers, Executive Director of Engagement at National Museums Liverpool said: “We are proud to be working with Unilever to support people living with dementia and their carers. Unilever brands are known all over the globe and have been part of people’s lives for generations. It’s wonderful to bring the archival content into the My House of Memories app to help people living with dementia and their carers to connect and share memories together. It’s particularly exciting to be launching the new app package in the Port Sunlight where there is a shared history between Unilever and National Museums Liverpool, both having historic locations in Port Sunlight and links with the Leverhulme name.”
Claire Tunstall, Head of Archives, Unilever UK and Ireland said, “We’re delighted to join The National Museums Liverpool in their commitment to supporting those living with dementia. At Unilever we’re dedicated to improving the lives of our customers and know that for many our brands have played a memorable role in family life for generations and continue to do so every day. It’s great to see our archives being given a second life in the My House of Memories App so they can be used for such an impactful and positive purpose.”
Peter Loosemore, Policy and Strategy Officer, Wirral Borough Council, said: “We have all been touched by Dementia in one way or another and we know the importance of keeping people involved in communities and the wonder of seeing people come back to life when they are touched by a memory that takes them back to their younger life. We are delighted to see this initiative being launched, particularly in Wirral. It is just one example of the excellent work going on as we fulfil our commitment to the ‘Liverpool City Region Dementia-Friendly City Region Pledge’ which Wirral Council are pleased to be a signatory of. It is an important reminder of the importance of culture in its widest sense, to all our sense of well-being.”
Jill Pendleton, Dementia Lead, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, said: “My House of Memories is a great, user friendly co-produced resource for people with dementia and carers, that enables them to enjoy quality time together. It demonstrates authentic involvement of people with dementia and was created with the advice of clinicians. It is ground-breaking and changed opinion about what people with dementia can achieve. The app provides the scaffolding to enable people with dementia to access long term memories and reminisce which in turn has a positive effect on mood, wellbeing and self-esteem."