In a short musical montage (set to Hay’s song ‘Overkill’), I followed Hay's character from diagnosis to heart attack to dying—and although he was declared dead, his blue corpse was still strumming the guitar as he was pushed into the morgue refrigeration unit. The nightmares that followed lasted years, and the scene became the catalyst for my anxiety around death.
As I interacted with countless brands that promised “we’re here for you”, while doing very little to prove how, it became glaringly obvious how disconnected the category surrounding death feels.
During a time that is deeply vulnerable and individualised, brands in this category feel intentionally impersonal—fulfilling an expected archetype that is smooth and inoffensive, and offers safety at arm’s length. Often, this means avoiding mention of death itself, and using language such as ‘meaningful farewells’, ‘a long goodbye’ and ‘life’s heaviest moment’ instead.
Given that dying is the only guarantee in life, you’d expect us to have found a more open way of talking about it. But the reality is that we are woefully unprepared for the end of life—in fact, 52% of Australians on average are dying without having made a will (Willed), and only 36% are registered as organ and tissue donors, even though the majority of us support donations (DonateLife Australia).
But even the end-of-life category itself struggles to address the complex reality of death and the intensity of grief. Across the board, you’ll find messages offering ‘strength’, ‘compassion’ and ‘support’, coupled with images of loved ones hugging or footprints fading in the sand. Most brands position themselves as sympathetic, beige, maternal and traditional.
That said, the industry is evolving. New options are allowing people to make end-of-life decisions that better reflect their values and ideologies.
As an alternative to burials, cremations are on the rise. One step further, aqua cremations and green burials are becoming increasingly popular as more eco-friendly solutions. Memorialising has become more tangible and personal: ashes are being infused into tattoo ink, or turned into diamonds. End-of-life doulas are playing a vital role in supporting individuals through death, and their loved ones through grief. And organisations like Death Cafe are bringing communities together over coffee and cake to openly discuss death and dying.