The Electoral Commission has appointed WPP as its integrated agency partner for voter communications across Great Britain, following a competitive review.
The account will be led by T&P to deliver end-to-end strategy, creative development, and media planning and buying to drive voter registration and participation across GB.
As the independent body responsible for overseeing elections and regulating political finance in the UK, the Electoral Commission is responsible for helping voters understand their rights and how to participate in elections. The new partnership will support the delivery of clear, accessible communications designed to increase awareness, understanding and participation across all voter groups throughout England, Scotland and Wales.
Aligned with WPP’s Elevate 28 strategy, teams from across WPP Media, which operates an extensive Northern campus in Manchester, and T&P pitched for the business as an integrated team. T&P, WPP’s integrated ideas agency, will act as lead agency across both creative and media strategy, campaign production, and execution. The integrated team will work flexibly “drawing on specialist expertise from across WPP.”
The partnership brings together all communication disciplines under a single, unified model designed to deliver seamless, accessible voter engagement across England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland, the team will work in partnership with ASG Comms, which continues as the Electoral Commission’s specialist media agency for Northern Ireland.
The scope includes support for the Electoral Commission’s public information campaigns covering voter registration, voter identification requirements. It will also support the commission to reach young people expected to be enfranchised when the UK Government’s lowers the voting age to 16.
Director of communications and external affairs at the Electoral Commission, Niki Nixon, said: “Voters are at the heart of our work. Reaching them with clear and accessible messages about how to take part in elections is essential to a healthy democracy, and a key priority for us. We are looking forward to working with WPP to deliver communications activity that reaches communities across the UK, ensuring every eligible voter can participate.”
Tom Kelly, strategy director at WPP’s T&P, added: “To drive real voter participation, creative ideas and media placement cannot be stuck in silos. Integrating our strategy, media, and creative enables us to navigate complex audience journeys with complete agility. We’re thrilled to partner with the Electoral Commission to build trusted, impactful communications that inspire confidence and participation in the democratic process across every demographic.”
