Genentech Shines a Light on the Truth Behind the 16 Million Sandwich Generation Caregivers

May. 06, 2026

Genentech is launching a new campaign that shines a light on the more than 16 million caregivers in the US who make up today’s “sandwich generation” – adults balancing the care of ageing parents while raising children of their own. 

As people start families later2 and loved ones live longer,3 caregivers find themselves stretched between generations, trying to give their best to everyone with too few hours in the day to do it. This campaign gives voice to those whose struggles often go unseen, capturing the complex emotional duality of love, gratitude and devotion that lives alongside guilt, stress and exhaustion.

While over half (51%) of adult children caring for parents say their role gives them purpose and meaning,3 many describe it as an exhausting “no‑win” situation, constantly having to choose who needs them most. The film acknowledges that tension, showing how caring for people at two ends of life’s spectrum can be both one of the greatest honours and one of its hardest challenges.

The film brings together leading talent across live action and animation. The brand and agency worked with award-winning filmmaker Reinaldo Marcus Green through The Sweetshop. He joined forces with BAFTA-winning stop-motion studio One6th, led by director Baz Sells and producer Ben Jackson, whose Two Black Boys in Paradise won the BAFTA for British Short Animation in 2026.  

Working alongside Mackinnon & Saunders, the puppet makers behind Corpse Bride and Fantastic Mr Fox, the team created a stop-motion counterpart to the live-action caregiver to visualise her inner thoughts and private emotional world.

Through this blend of techniques, the film contrasts the visible pressures of caregiving with the unspoken turmoil beneath, revealing the delicate balance between strength and vulnerability that defines the experience of the sandwich generation.

Erin Echter, Marketing Team Director said:

“At Genentech, we see caregivers as an essential – and too often invisible – part of the healthcare journey. I’ve experienced firsthand how much is carried behind the scenes – supporting my own mom through vision loss. Caregivers are often the ones advocating, navigating care, and helping their loved ones stay on treatment to maintain their vision and independence. This campaign is about ensuring they feel seen, supported, and recognized for all they do.”

 

Alex Grieve, Global Chief Creative Officer BBH, said:

"The very real truth is that Caring for others is largely unseen and by definition under-appreciated. We wanted to shine a light on what carers deal with day after day – the love and the sacrifice, the highs and the lows. And to tell that story with empathy, insight and truth we turned to one of the world's very best storytellers: Reinaldo Marcus Green. We are thrilled with the final film. It is a visual feast and an exercise in craft, but above all, it allows caregivers to, finally, be seen."

 

By spotlighting the caregivers who hold families together, the campaign reflects Genentech’s commitment to supporting those in the sandwich generation who give so much of themselves to others. It serves as both a tribute to their resilience and a reminder that care, in all its imperfection, is an expression of extraordinary love.

The campaign was informed by interviews with caregivers and designed to appear in places where this audience is already active and engaged. Reddit played an important role both in shaping the insights behind the work and in reaching the community it speaks to.