SoVote poster - my life my say ogilvy uk

'My Life My Say' charity encourages young Londoners to vote

The ‘You Already Vote, So Vote’ campaign, created by Ogilvy UK, tackles Gen Z’s political disinterest

By creative salon

17 April 2024

Creative agency Ogilvy UK and charity My Life My Say have unveiled an integrated campaign to encourage young Brits to register to vote ahead of the upcoming voter registration deadline. Elections across the UK are fast approaching, with critical local and mayoral elections taking place on 2 May. But people in the UK must be registered to vote in the London elections, and the registration deadline closes at midnight, Tuesday 16 April.

After research found young people are at least 68 per cent more likely to vote in reality TV shows than in elections, MyLifeMySay and Ogilvy UK recruited a roster of influencers from the likes of Big Brother, Love Island and Britain’s Got Talent to encourage young people to register. The ‘You Already Vote, So Vote’ campaign sees stars such as Ashley Glazebrook, Bradley Riches, Sharon Gaffka, Will Best, Frankie Foster, Molly Marsh, Kai Fagan and Tanyel Revan use their experience winning the votes of young people to get them to register to vote in elections.

The two-pronged integrated campaign by Ogilvy UK sees their PR and Influence, advertising and behavioural science divisions work together to ensure young Londoners are impacted both in the real world and on their phones. The campaign launched with a comprehensive influencer drive and PR outreach targeting youth media as a 30-second cinema ad featuring the voice of Big Brother, Marcus Bentley, running in Pearl and Dean cinemas and OOH, unveiled at The Outernet.

There is a widespread perception that Gen Z are more interested in TV voting than political ones, as millions of young people vote on the outcome of reality TV shows, with Google searches in the last month for “reality TV” surpassing those for the “mayoral election”.

With three in ten Brits aged 18-34 not registered to vote, millions of young people will not have a voice, whether voting for a new mayor, or other local officials. In London, one in eight people are not registered to vote, but can easily register on the website. The non-partisan movement My Life My Say have recruited the gaggle of reality TV stars who have already received votes of young people, to encourage them to vote when it really matters for something that matters.

Mete Coban, chief executive of My Life My Say said: “Voting numbers are drastically down - especially in the 18–34-year-old age group. And the real irony is this group already vote. They love to vote. Their voting has changed the lives of hundreds, whether it’s for someone to have a 'voice' on talent shows, for contestants’ 'safety' from evictions or for favourite stars to eat weird things in the jungle – so we need them to vote when it really counts, in elections.”

Charlie Coney, creative and strategy officer, Ogilvy PR added: “We used the talent people already vote for to get them to vote when it matters most. An earned first idea with real impact, with influencers spearheading a campaign that’s now rolling out across other channels before Tuesday’s s deadline. Now stop reading this, and go register.”

Nicola Wood and Andy Forrest, executive creative directors, Ogilvy UK commented: “Someone very famous once said ‘democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch’. Which is where our campaign comes in. If the lamb wants to choose what it wants for lunch, then more lambs need to vote. In order to get every single young person voting we are empowering them to register to vote by tapping into culture and highlighting the fact that they already do. Gen Z vote for any number of Love Islanders, celebs in a jungle and on every other reality TV show, but our army of influencers flipped the coin telling them to vote on their own reality.”

Love Island’s Sharon Gaffka, ex civil servant turned Violence Against Women and Girls activist: “You voted for me to go on a date with Chuggs Wallis so now it’s time to vote for something off the screens, your democracy. I know it may feel like your vote doesn't make a difference, but - just like in the Villa - it really can. It’s as simple as voting for Love Island, simply head online to register and it can be done in a matter of minutes”.