OBV's 2015 General Election

12 OUR ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN NUMBERS IN CAMPAIGN 12 ELECTION OUR CONTENTS OBV’s 2015 General Election 02 INTRODUCTION 02 04 WHY? 04 14 SAID PEOPLE WHAT 06 THE OBV EXPRESS THE 06 16 CONCLUSIONS AND NEXT STEPS NEXT AND 16 CONCLUSIONS

08 OBV’S POSTER AND FILM CAMPAIGN FILM AND POSTER OBV’S 08 WE PAST, DEMAND PRESENT

18 SAY PAPERS THE WHAT RACE AND EQUALITY FUTURE 02 IN THE THREE MONTHS LEADING TO THE 2015 GENERAL ELECTION OUR GOAL WAS TO TARGET OVER ONE MILLION BLACK AND MINORITY ETHNIC INDIVIDUALS WITH THE SIMPLE MESSAGE: ‘REGISTER TO VOTE!’ AND ONCE REGISTERED: ‘TURN OUT TO VOTE IN THE ELECTION!’ BEHIND THE MESSAGING OUR AIM WAS TO ENSURE THE MAIN POLITICAL PARTIES PUT TACKLING PERSISTENT RACE INEQUALITY HIGH ON THEIR AGENDAS. INTRODUCTION 03

There were three elements to the 1 2 3 campaign:

THE OBV EXPRESS voter THE OBV APP, the first in A HARD HITTING voter registration bus that toured the country that enabled registration and voter major cities throughout people to register online turnout advertising poster England using their mobile devices and film campaign 04 WHY?

IN AUGUST 2013, OBV PUBLISHED 2015 GENERAL ELECTION: THE POWER OF THE BLACK VOTE THAT SHOWED THAT IN OVER 160 MARGINAL SEATS, BLACK AND MINORITY ETHNIC VOTERS COULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT Download our 2015 General Election Manifesto at IMPACT IN THE UPCOMING www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/ operation-black-vote-2015- ELECTION. general-election-manifesto Why? 05

AT THE SAME TIME RESEARCH SHOWED THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF INDIVIDUAL ELECTORAL REGISTRATION MEANT A DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH NUMBER OF BME INDIVIDUALS AND YOUNG ADULTS WERE FALLING OFF THE ELECTORAL REGISTER. 06 THE OBV eXpress

Scenes from the OBV eXpress THE OBV EXPRESS 07

he OBV eXpress voter registration bus travelled around the country so we could engage with large numbers of The UK’s T individuals often cynical and disillusioned with politics. Many people we encountered expressed strongly held reasons first voter not to engage in the electoral process. These included: ‘Politicians don’t represent me’, ‘Nothing ever changes’, registration ‘Racism’s got worse’, ‘Why should I vote for them when they do nothing for me’, ‘Politicians are dishonest’, ‘Multinational App business and financiers have real power’, and ‘Democracy is against my religion’. The future of voting is

With this level of negativity our challenge was to take online, and OBV is the individuals from a score of minus twenty to a positive place of first organisation in the plus ten. And we did it with a large number of people. UK to commission a voter So 16 cities and London boroughs, hundreds of conversations, registration App. Once thousands registered to vote, countless doubters turned downloaded, users could into positive advocates, and thousands inspired to engage in our democracy… not bad for a big orange bus and a team of get onto the online voter dedicated activists. registration form and

The App is still in its infancy, but has been downloaded by many. Furthermore, as additional content becomes available we see this as a most valuable tool.

The OBV Registration App is the first of its kind in the UK 08

hat OBV secured the services of Saatchi & Saatchi, the internationally renowned ad agency, OBV’S Twas a coup, but then to get on board top fashion photographer Rankin and celebrities Sol Campbell, David Harewood, Tinie Tempah and Ade Apitan POSTER was more than we could ever wish for.

The brief for Saatchi’s creative team was to inspire BME communities to register to AND vote and then vote; and to raise awareness about our inclusive democracy. Their hard-hitting imagery of black stars ‘whiting up’ and the message that if BME FILM people didn’t register to vote, it would take the colour out of Britain, succeeded beyond our CAMPAIGN expectations. OBV’s poster and film campaign 09

Left and below: Stills from the Rankin /Saatchi campaign

With an election devoid of any real creativity, our campaign resulted in plaudits, some outrage and intense interest. The huge media coverage of the posters played a part in the unprecedented surge of a million, mainly young, people registering to vote online in the week before the deadline.

Rankin, top British photographer who shot the portraits of the black celebrities for the OBV posters, said— “My wife told me about the large numbers of Black people not voting, and about Black youth unemployment. I felt honoured to make a contribution to the campaign.”

12 OUR ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN NUMBERS OUR ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN NUMBERS 13

98 million 10,000+ 1,500 Outcomes

Views, the combined The number of people The number of people who Record number of BME coverage of the OBV OBV discussed political registered to vote on the MP’s elected including eXpress, poster campaign, engagement and voter bus. another OBV alumni and David Harewood registration with during Clive Lewis video, with a commercial the eXpress bus tour. value of £5,000,000. 100+ Main political parties promise to tackle race 500 Media interviews during inequality 1,000,000 the voter registration Young adults who campaign. The number of mainly registered to vote at a Record number of BME young people who free voter registration Ministers appointed to registered to vote in the concert starring Fuse Government week before the deadline ODG at Tooting & Mitcham 4,500 which corresponded to Football Club. the OBV Register to Vote The size of the African BME voter turnout poster campaign and congregation at the KICC higher than white related publicity. church in Chatham, Kent turnout in several key 700 on Easter Sunday which constituencies featured the OBV eXpress Visitors to the bus who bus. 2 wanted to know more Conservatives double about OBV and how their support from BME Nominations for to be involved in their voters prestigious international communities. advertising awards: Cannes Lions 2015; Digital Communications Awards 2015. 20,000

Voter registration information leaflets handed out during the OBV eXpress bus tour. 14

Birmingham born Hollywood star David Harewood—

“The message of the poster WHAT of Black people becoming white is a metaphor for our Parliament and other institutions. If we [the BME community] are not PEOPLE involved, then our diverse dynamism isn’t there and these institutions remain monolithic, bland, and less SAID creative.”

Jenny Watson, Chair of Electoral Commission—

“Working with Operation Black Vote as part of our registration campaign was fantastic. The ability to reach out directly to under registered groups in innovative ways, like Operation Black Vote’s registration bus and poster campaign, was a great way to make sure the registration message was heard by as many people as possible.” What People Said 15

Young woman at Fuse ODG concert— Robert Senior, Global head of Sophie Harrowes, Head of outreach, Saatchi & Saatchi— Hammersmith Academy— “I hadn’t really thought about “We are delighted to be “The enthusiasm and involved in such a brilliant engagement was so registering to vote, but the campaign. This embodies palpable and the way in everything we do best at which the students are still importance of it has been Saatchi & Saatchi.” discussing the relative pros made clear to me. So I’m and cons of the candidates and the political parties Sam Gymiah MP, former Minister going to do it.” for Constitutional Reform— several hours after the hustings talk is quite Young man at Fuse ODG concert— “The Government is extraordinary. We couldn’t particularly pleased to be more delighted at the “I saw OBV were launching work on voter registration effect it’s had and I really with such an excellent hope that it has a long-term a new voting App, which body as OBV.” impact in terms of their engagement with their is great for our generation communities, democracy, because that’s the technology fundamental rights and ultimately the realisation

that we use today.” that they can all step up and be leaders and play a BBC radio presenter Dotun Adebayo— role in politics.”

“The black vote pushed David Rt. Hon. Sadiq Khan MP— Cameron first past the post.” “OBV continues to be a brilliant beacon for hope Phil Bunyan, 24-year-old from a white, working-class background in and equality.” Dorset, learning his trade as butcher at Waltham Forest College—

Tim Farrron MP, Leader of the “I never really felt there was Liberal Democrats— any point in voting. But now “OBV will help us be a truly more inclusive political I’d like to think my vote party.” counts for something.” 16 CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS Conclusion and next steps 17

With your help our most pressing work is now to ensure the Government delivers on its promise for greater race equality and opportunity for the UK’s BME communities. This will require long and hard engagement with various Government departments, agencies e achieved our goals: the significant increase in and local authorities. the number of BME individuals who registered to vote and then voted in the 2015 General Election; raising the issue of race inequality higher on the W agendas of the main political parties. But possibly the more important success has been the tens of thousands of people who now believe that they can play a part in improving their lives and those of their families and communities through political empowerment.

We also know the importance of reversing many young people’s negative attitudes towards our democracy, ranging from apathy to hostility. We now seek to address this by creating and delivering a comprehensive active citizenship campaign, as well as a political empowerment education package to schools and colleges. Furthermore, we aim to deliver a number of leadership programmes to nurture the next generation of BME leaders for local authorities and other civic institutions.

Underpinning all these projects will be our relentless drive for greater social and racial equality. Together we can build a nation that is inclusive, dynamic and a beacon of hope and opportunity for everyone in the UK.

Help us continue that journey. Left: OBV Director Simon Woolley with photographer Ian Rankin The OBV team 18 WHAT The Voice, May 14—20, 2015 THE PAPERS

SAY The Guardian, Thursday 16 April 2015

Eastern Eye, Friday, May 29, 2015

Ex-footballer Sol Campbell appears with a white-painted face in an advertising campaign by Operation Black Vote, with the slogan 'If you don't register to vote, you're taking the colour out of Britain.' Other posters in the series feature actor David Harewood, musician Tinie Tempah and paralympian Ade Adepitan. What the papers say 19

The Sun, Thursday, April 16, 2015 Metro, Friday, April 17, 2015

"I believe and absolutely support the campaign. I am black, of an African origin. Elections are the opportunity to have a say in the democratic process of a country and our views and values are to be accounted for... Do not let others determine the outcome of the election on your behalf." — Stephen Munduni, Essex

The Independant, Thursday, 16 April 2015

Daily Mail, Thursday, April 16, 2015

"I agreed to do the Operation Black Vote pictures because I wanted to highlight the problem with some sections of Britain who are not registering to vote for their future." — Sol Campbell OBV is a relatively small team and we cannot do what we do without the support and assistance of many individuals — all talented and passionate about greater social and racial equality. We’d therefore, like to thank:

The Saatchi & Saatchi team led by CEO Afro Caribbean Millenium Centre Magnus Djaba Bite the Ballot Fashion photographer Rankin British Chinese Project TV Presenter and paralympian Ade Hammersmith Academy Adepitan International Christian Centre Actor David Harewood Manchester University Students Union TV Presenter and entrepreneur June Operation Disabled Vote Sarpong Palmers Green Mosque Football icon Sol Campbell Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo and KICC Musician/rap artist Tinie Tempah Reverend Al Sharpton and the MOBO Chief Kanya King National Action Network Reverend Jesse Jackson and Sam Gymiah MP Rainbow/PUSH Cabinet Office team Waltham Forest College The Electoral Commission Windrush Millennium Centre Baroness Margaret McDonagh Siobhan McDonagh MP Barrow Cadburys Trust Councillor Anna Rothery Esmée Fairbairn Foundation GMB Barking & Dagenham Council Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust Birmingham Council Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Coventry Council Unison Croydon Council Unite Lambeth Council Lewisham Council Anonymous donor via Rathbone’s Liverpool Council Don Jones, US Supporter Nottingham Council Gary Sollof, OBV donor Redbridge Council Rami Ranger, OBV donor Southwark Council Sally Wardle, OBV donor Wolverhampton Council Aidan McGurran: the Daily Mirror Ben TV Amol Rajan, the Independent Eastern Eye Charles Garside, the Daily Mail Islam Channel George Rudduck, the Voice Jamaica Gleaner Hugh Muir and Vikram Dodd, the Guardian Voice Newspaper Ros Wynne-Jones, the Daily Mirror Shailesh Solanki, AMG Bernell Bussue, London RCN Her Excellency Mrs. Aloun Ndombet- OBV volunteers and activists: Lauren Assamba - Jamaican High Commission Adams, Skye Adams, Cindy Asokan, Andrea Nero Ughwujabo, Croydon Race Group Guede, Maxie Hayles, Desmond Jadoo, Paulette Simpson, Jamaica National Sundeep Kaur Hayer, Ruth Hirsch, Lester Holloway, Roger Lynch and team, Mirella S Manhombo, Joanne Samuels, Cheryl Sealey, Roshni Vekereya, Lordina Yankey

OBV Photographer, Shahid Bashir OBV Head of patrons, Iqbal Wahhab OBV Board: Rita Patel, Audrey Adams, Meena Dhobi