18+ for a Reason: Saatchi & Saatchi’s Youth Voter Drive Makes Politics ‘Hot AF’
By Ella Horncastle on Monday, June 3, 2024
Saatchi & Saatchi is shaking up the game for the July 4 general election with a bold and unconventional ‘Voting is Hot AF’ campaign.
Based on the finding that 40% of 18-24-year-olds find regular voters more attractive, the non-partisan initiative taps into modern dating culture to give voting a sexy makeover and make it more appealing to the demographic least likely to hit the polls.
Ditching the typical red line in government communications, the campaign features vibrant, playful designs and slogans such as “Get polled”, “Giving AF is hot AF,” and “18+ for a reason” reimagining the voting ‘X’ as a symbol of attraction.
This creative strategy aims to address the ‘emergency’ of low voter turnout among young people, with only half of 18–24-year-olds typically voting.
Other insights from the YouGov survey reveal that regular voters are perceived as more intelligent and trustworthy, and more favourable in dating scenarios. Indeed, 18% believed that non-voters would be more likely to commit a dating faux-pas and ghost you, and 21% feared non-voters would spend a first date talking about themselves.
