boom saloon and CreateFuture partnered to deliver 4, 4, 4 and 2, a groundbreaking cultural publication that challenges how dementia is understood, discussed and represented. Supported by the C&BS Fund, the partnership combined publishing, editorial design and lived experience with strategic business insight to extend the project’s reach far beyond traditional cultural audiences. The collaboration placed people living with dementia at the centre of public discourse, while enabling CreateFuture to demonstrate how creativity, strategy and social impact can work together to influence culture, policy and care.
Dementia is the leading cause of death in the UK. Many people with dementia feel their voice is lost following diagnosis, with limited opportunities to shape public understanding of their condition.
4, 4, 4 and 2 set out to address this gap through a cultural first: a book that uses editorial design to physically mimic the cognitive degeneration associated with dementia. Mapping the experience of Maggie Watson, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Vascular Dementia in 2021, the publication adopts the format of a “living cookbook”, printed with disappearing ink so that each copy uniquely fades over time. The partnership aimed to:
Fund investment enabled a public launch event that expanded access, dialogue and cross-sector engagement.
• Publication of 4, 4, 4 and 2, distributed across cultural, educational and healthcare contexts. • A free, fully accessible public launch event featuring talks, readings and interactive experiences. • Direct participation from people living with dementia, carers, creatives and healthcare professionals.
• CreateFuture delivered in-kind business strategy workshops, embedded into the project rather than delivered as a separate add-on. • Joint development of audience mapping, press targeting and narrative framing to ensure the work reached policymakers, civic leaders and cultural decision-makers alongside the general public. • Complimentary copies of the book distributed to MSPs and influencers shaping dementia policy and care.
• Significant national and international media coverage across design, culture and innovation platforms, including readerships in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia. • Digital reach exceeding 100,000 audience interactions, far surpassing initial projections. • Sustained social and editorial visibility positioning the project as a cultural reference point for dementia discourse.
“4, 4, 4 and 2 was created to reframe dementia not as an ending, but as a space for connection, creativity and care. With CreateFuture’s support, we were able to bring Maggie’s story to life and share it widely — sparking new conversations about empathy, design and memory. Their sponsorship didn’t just back a book; it helped ensure this message reached policymakers, cultural leaders and communities across Scotland and the world.”
Rachel Arthur, Founder & Editor, boom saloon
“At CreateFuture we don’t believe in templated digital solutions or overhyped promises.
We believe in the transformational power of digital. Rock-solid outcomes that take hard work, commitment and ingenuity.
With a team of over 500 experts (and growing fast) and 5+ UK locations, we know what it takes to tackle challenges and create effective digital solutions. As with our past clients, we’re determined to get you exactly what you need.”
Why did CreateFuture choose to partner with boom saloon?
We were drawn to boom saloon’s bold, values-led approach to storytelling and their commitment to addressing complex social issues through creativity. 4, 4, 4 and 2 offered a powerful opportunity to support a project that centres lived experience, challenges stigma around dementia, and demonstrates how design and editorial thinking can drive meaningful social change.
What value did the partnership bring to your organisation?
The partnership allowed us to align our business with a cultural project that reflects our belief in purpose-driven creativity. Working closely with boom saloon gave us the opportunity to contribute strategic insight while engaging with creative leaders, policymakers and cultural organisations in a way that felt authentic, thoughtful and aligned with our values.
How did collaboration feature in the partnership?
Collaboration was central. Rather than a traditional sponsorship model, we embedded business strategy directly into the cultural production process through workshops and joint planning. This enabled the project to reach audiences beyond the cultural sector, while ensuring that strategic thinking enhanced the integrity and accessibility of the work.
What impact did the partnership have beyond the project itself?
The project sparked wider conversations across cultural, policy and professional spaces about empathy, design and dementia. It also demonstrated how closer collaboration between business and culture can extend reach, influence and long-term impact, creating a model we believe has relevance beyond this single project.
Would you recommend cultural partnerships to other businesses?
Yes. When partnerships are genuinely collaborative and values-led, they can deliver real impact – supporting culture, addressing societal challenges and enabling businesses to contribute their skills in ways that are meaningful, credible and lasting.
Audiences reported increased empathy and understanding of dementia, particularly through the book’s disappearing ink format, which made cognitive decline tangible and emotionally resonant. People living with dementia and carers described the project as validating, respectful and transformative. The publication is now being used as an educational tool across cultural and professional settings.
CreateFuture strengthened its positioning as a purpose-driven organisation operating at the intersection of creativity, strategy and social impact. The partnership created meaningful engagement with creative leaders, policymakers and potential clients aligned with CreateFuture’s values and expertise. Association with a globally recognised cultural project generated long-term reputational value and thought-leadership opportunities.
The project contributed to national conversations around health, communities and education. Dialogue sparked at the launch event and through distribution has fed into policy awareness and sector discussion on dementia care. Unexpected international interest opened up future opportunities for export, touring and adaptation.
