A small gesture can make the difference.

Just before the Week Against Loneliness 2023, there's a sequel to the highly acclaimed campaign. Life events such as moving, divorce, or the loss of a partner can lead to feelings of loneliness. Research shows that bystanders often don’t know how to recognize loneliness and what to do about it. Therefore, in this campaign, we show examples of typical situations where loneliness often occurs. To reduce these feelings of loneliness, bystanders can make a small gesture to help alleviate them.

Additionally, it’s important to increase self-belief in one's capabilities, or ‘self-efficacy’. By providing concrete tools with which bystanders know what to do, and by demonstrating the positive impact of these actions, we strengthen the belief in one's own abilities. This ensures that people with feelings of loneliness no longer feel powerless and gain hope. Bystanders begin to realize that their actions can have an effect and are no longer deterred by the fear of negative consequences of their actions.

Via a split screen we demonstrate in this TV commercial what happens when you do something small for someone. But also what happens when you do nothing. With a small gesture, you can already make a big difference!