21st October 2019
NCS and Karmarama launched ‘No We Can’, A campaign featuring a new brand identity and multi-channel activation. Read more about the new campaign.
NCS aims to incite independence in young people by turning a lifetime of being
told they’re too young, into a collective voice that tells the world what they can
achieve. Backed up by the insight that young people feel their opinions are not respected or listened to, NCS and Karmarama worked together to develop a new
visual identity and brand platform co-created with teens, ensuring the primary
audience was at the heart of the creative development.
The multi-channel campaign launches from 18 th October and includes a
provocative OOH campaign featuring flyposters using real social media posts
articulating the extent of the ‘No’s’ and the negative preconceptions youth face
from wider society.
The hero film asset is a 60” brand film which will be rolled out in cinemas across
the country. Directed by Finn Keenan of Riff Raff, the film is driven by the energy,
playfulness and empowerment of young people, showing a cross section of
teenagers and the societal and internal ‘No’s’ they face in the UK right now.
The film features a cast of young people, including some previous NCS grads, and
shows patronising ‘no you can’t’ grow up cheek squeezes, dismissive news
reports, judgemental external voices questioning clothing decisions, and the
self-doubt of internal dialogues. Through the diverse voices, including the online
influencer Lewys, young people stand up and cut through the negativity with a
consistently bold response of “No We Can”.
Following the release of the brand film in cinemas nationwide, a multimedia
campaign will kick off including AV, Outdoor, Social, Digital, Search, Radio as well
as PR and influencer initiatives that aim to build upon and explore in depth the
issues facing young people today. The campaign has also been translated into
school assembly presentations to introduce the programme to young people.
Miriam Jordan Keane, CMO at NCS, said: “Young people face a lot of pressures and
challenges in their lives today. At NCS we’re passionate about listening to them,
understanding them and creating a space for them to bridge social divides. ‘No
We Can’ gives a voice to a generation ready to speak their minds and acts as a
rallying cry encouraging them to overcome boundaries on a micro and macro
scale. It is not about promoting rebellion, but about inciting independence at a
key transitional age.”
The NCS brand identity has also had a refresh, from a new logo that steps up to
the challenge of ‘No We Can’ with every letter, to an unapologetically bold, digital
first look and feel, and UGC centric photography, the new branding has been
developed with and for the very young people who use it.
Karmarama is the lead creative agency behind the new campaign and was
appointed to work with NCS due to its deep understanding of the nuances of
how teens feel and behave. Karmarama will be working alongside MediaCom &
Omnigov for media planning and buying respectively.
James Denton-Clark, managing director at Karmarama, said: “ We’re proud to be
delivering a campaign that embeds NCS into teenage culture. This is a campaign
that has been developed by teens for teens. It helps this generation have their
voice heard as they transition into adulthood. After years of being told they can’t
do this or that”, NCS helps turn “No you can’t” into “No, we can”.
At its core, the campaign is about enabling young adults to subvert the societal
stereotypes about their generation and build a youth movement. Almost 600,000
young people have already taken part in the programme. NCS is currently
attracting one in six eligible young people, with an ambition to grow this to one in
three by 2023 making NCS a natural part of growing up. The new brand is one of
many developments NCS Trust is launching to ensure this ambition is reached.
The new brand campaign and refresh will cost just under £1million this year.
For more information please contact:
media@ncstrust.org.uk
Notes to Editors
About NCS
NCS is a government backed programme established in 2011 to help build a more
cohesive, mobile and engaged society. By bringing together young people from different
backgrounds for a unique shared experience, NCS helps them to become better
individuals, and in turn better citizens.
NCS is open to 16 and 17 year-olds across England and Northern Ireland. The two to four
week programme, which takes place in school holidays, includes outdoor team-building
exercises, a residential for participants to learn ‘life skills’, a community-based social actionproject and an end of programme celebration event.
To date:
- Almost 600,000 young people have taken part
- 14 and a half million hours of community action have been completed
- For every £1 spent, NCS’ 2016 summer programme delivered between £1.15 and £2.42 of benefits back to society
It costs participants just £50 or less to take part in NCS and bursaries are available on a
case by case basis. Support is provided for young people with additional needs.
To find out more visit wearencs.com
Visit NCS social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
About NCS Trust
National Citizen Service Trust is a not-for-profit organisation incorporated by Royal
Charter and established to shape, support, champion and lead a thriving National Citizen Service.
National Citizen Service Trust is registered in England and Wales with Royal Charter Body
number RC000894. Our registered office is at The Pembroke Building, Kensington Village,
Avonmore Road, London, W14 8DG.
