New Electoral Commission campaign launches ahead of elections in May

The Electoral Commission has launched an integrated campaign to raise awareness of the new requirement for voters to show photographic ID at polling stations. The new provisions, part of the UK Government’s Elections Act, will apply for the first time at this May’s local elections in England. Voters will need to show an accepted form of photo ID at polling stations before they receive their ballot paper.

The campaign, ‘Note to Self’, has been created by McCann Demand and will run across TV, OOH, radio, digital audio, social, digital display, print and in-game, from today. The creative features people encountering giant sticky notes as personal reminders about the new requirement. 

McCann Demand was responsible for media strategy and buying, as well overall creative strategy and execution, having been appointed early in 2022. Lucy Hudson, Managing Director at McCann Demand said: “We were set a significant challenge – to drive mass awareness of this important change to the voting process ahead of this May’s elections.  

“To achieve this, we wanted to make sure our campaign was accessible and easy to understand and that our call to action was clear. We   landed on an engaging, cut-through creative concept based on a device known to everyone – the humble sticky note.”

Craig Westwood, Director of Communications, Policy and Research at The Electoral Commission said: “The Elections Act introduces one of the most significant changes to the way we vote in recent years. Ahead of the elections in May, voters across England will need to remember to bring their photo ID with them to the polling station. This campaign supports our public awareness work with a clear and familiar call to action – the note to self.”

The campaign was created by Martin Parkes, Rich Hughes and Becca Luke at McCann Demand, and shot by Dom&Nic at Outsider. It launches today and will be run ahead of local elections across England this year.  

McCann Demand, part of McCann Worldgroup in the UK, offers a truly integrated marketing and communications service through strategy, creative and design, media and social activity to deliver impact for its clients.

For more information contact Megan Coulson @ McCann: megan.coulson@mccann.com