Keira Knightley might seem dainty, but she has no problem dropping an F-bomb when the occasion calls for it—like when chastising the young British citizens who plan to skip the country's upcoming referendum on European Union membership.
The A-list actress is just one celebrity to star in a new campaign, "Don't Fuck My Future," aimed at motivating British youth to step up and make their voices heard at the polls on June 23.
In her 30-second ad, she demonstrates how easy it is to practice the perfect award-show face—offering an impressive display of rapid-fire mood morphing—before pointing out that it also takes about five seconds to mark an "X" on whether the U.K. should stay in the E.U., emphasizing (in the campaign's trademark foul-mouthed verbiage) that anyone who fails to do so is a fool.
Actress and social entrepreneur Lily Cole makes a similar point in a second ad, as does rapper Big Narstie in a third. Agency adam&eveDDB created the campaign, citing a recent poll that showed only 50 percent of people under age 35 plan to vote in the referendum.
"I was concerned to see how low the voter turnout levels are anticipated to be among young people, who will arguably be most affected by this decision," Cole said in a statement. "I've also been frustrated by the divisive and negative nature of much of the campaigning. ... So we wanted to do a neutral and positive campaign to encourage people to get involved, and make their opinions known."
Director Anton Corbijn shot Knightley and Cole, with other ads divided among other directors. Additional shorter spots launched today, with clips featuring fashion icon Vivienne Westwood, actress Annabelle Wallis and drummer Josh Devine. More videos will roll out over the coming weeks.
The provocative, overtly profane approach might seem melodramatic, bringing to mind P. Diddy's infamous "Vote or Die" campaign. But the stakes are legitimately high, and the message accurate. In this light, it reads as a simple directive—that voters should exercise their democratic rights.
And while the celebrities maintain a deliberately neutral tone about which way young people ought to vote, younger voter turnout statistically nets as support for remaining in the E.U.—56 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds favor staying, while 39 percent oppose it, numbers that flip for voters 65 and older, according to the most recent poll from the Guardian and research firm ICM.
But the race is close, with a growing edge for a so-called "Brexit," or British exit. Thus, individual participation really does matter. Which side of the argument is right is a much knottier issue—the referendum's policy implications are sweeping, impacting everything from consumer protections to national security, the economy and other myriad aspects of U.K. governance and life.
The campaign's biggest flaw is that while it may only take five seconds to mark the ballot, it takes a lot longer to educate oneself on how to vote, and why.
CREDITS
Client/Agency: adam&eveDDB
Project name: Five Seconds
Chief Creative Officer: Ben Priest
Executive Creative Directors: Ben Tollett, Richard Brim
Creative Director/s: Tim Vance, Paul knott
Copywriter: Jo Cresswell
Art Director: Sian Coole
Agency Producer: Matt Craigie, Lucinda Kerr
Business Director: Charlotte Cook
Account Director: Caroline Grayson
—Keira Knighley/Lily Cole
Director: Anton Corbijn
Production company: Black Label
Executive Producer: Dom Freeman
Cinematographer + D.O.P: Martin Ruhe
Editing Company: Cut & Run
Editor: James Rose
Audio: Phil Bolland @Factory
Postproduction
Grading: Paul Harrison @ Finish
Online: James Ireland @ cain&abel
—Annabelle Wallis/Jessie Ware
Production company: RSA
Executive Producer: Damiano Vukotic
Director: Sophie Edelstein
Cinematographer: Katia Rio
Edit & Postproduction: James Ireland @ cain&abel
Audio: Phil Bolland @ Factory Studio
Telecine: Paul Harrison @ Finish
—Big Narstie
Production company: cain&abel
Cinematoographer: Daniel Morgan
Edi & postproduction: James Ireland @ cain&abel
Audio: Phil Bolland @ Factory Studio
Tele Cine: Paul Harrison @ Finish