Give an X

At the start of the 2024 general election year, over 30% of 18-25s in the UK weren’t registered to vote. Many felt politics wasn’t for them—citing distrust, lack of knowledge, or apathy. To reverse this, Shape History partnered with My Life My Say and the iWill Movement to launch Give an X—a youth-led, non-partisan campaign that made politics personal.

Instead of asking young people to come to politics, Give an X brought it to them—on their phones, through brands they love, and in everyday culture. Co-created with a diverse steering group of young people, the campaign rejected traditional messaging in favour of bold creative, brand activations, and influencer voices.

Partners included Snapchat, Tinder, Lime Bikes and Ben & Jerry’s. Influencers like Ellie Goulding, GK Barry and Riz Ahmed helped amplify the message. The campaign appeared at Glastonbury, London Games Fest, in the news, on radio, and across digital and outdoor ads.

The impact was unprecedented: 488,846 young people registered to vote in six weeks—100,000 on Voter Registration Day alone. It reached over 4 million 18-24s—70% of the UK demographic—making Give an X one of the most successful youth voter registration campaigns in British history.