Using great design to get young people to vote

You might have noticed that there's an election just around the corner in the UK. If you're at all plugged into social media, you've probably got a friend or relative spamming your timeline with manifesto pledges, derogatory statuses or dismayed emojis that express a wish for this whole politics thing to just chill out for a day at least.

There's one group of people, though, who are more apathetic to the election than anyone else. That's right: young people. Defined as anyone under the age of 25 (sorry), young people are statistically the least likely to exercise their democratic right to vote in the general election on 8 June. They're also the main group of people targeted by the Rize Up campaign.

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Created by Studio Output in collaboration with film-maker and photographer Josh Cole, Rize Up is a party-neutral campaign that wants to get under 25s, the homeless and economically dispossessed to register to vote before 22 May. Crucially, they aren't doing this for the benefit of any party: politics isn't working for young people, and they want to make a difference through design.

This is accomplished through a powerful visual identity that "speaks from the language of resistance". The concept is communicated through a black and orange colour palette, bold typography and the timeless, classic image of a fist raised in defiance.

Supported by high street brands including the ever progressive Lush, plus celebrities we presume young people are into, such as Tinie Tempah, Professor Green and Doc Brown, Rize Up is set to make some noise in the build up to the registration deadline.

“In the 2015 General Election over 15 million people – primarily the under 25s and the economically dispossessed – didn’t vote, which outnumbered the supporters of every single party in that election," says Rize Up founder Josh Cole. "With all parties designing policies to suit those typically most likely to vote, the youth voice is often ignored. Also, only 53 per cent of those within the lowest income bracket voted, compared with 75 per cent of those in the highest."

“I felt like there was a need for a campaign that gives a platform to the forgotten generation to have their say. To start a conversation, rather than being patronising or telling people what to do.”

For more information, head over to the Rize Up site, and don't forget to register to vote here.

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