We have compiled our observations and learnings from the campaign into an ebook titled “How to Build Social Campaigns.” You can download it here: Building a social campaign based on Debutants23 Building a social campaign based on Debutants ‚23.
Until now, we have been inviting guests to press meetings. In the autumn of 2023, for the first time, we organized pre-election debates. Usually, we strive for interviews and publications. However, this time, we fought for high voter turnout. Typically, we build relationships between clients and partners. This year, Profeina constructed a bridge between young voters and candidates with a green and clean air program. What was really at the heart of the ‘Debutants ’23’ campaign?
The evening of October 15th, dedicated to the elections, brought about several surprising outcomes. One notable achievement was the record-breaking voter turnout, with nearly 3/4 of Poles casting their votes. Particularly impressive was the surge in electoral engagement among the younger generation – in the 18-29 age group, voter turnout increased from 46% in 2019 to 71% this year.
Interestingly, a recent survey conducted by the Batory Foundation revealed that a remarkable 78% of respondents claimed that get-out-the-vote campaigns motivated them to participate in the elections. The impact of these campaigns is evident in a key finding from the ‘Debutants ’23’ report – a collaborative effort between the PR agency Profeina and researchers from the Lata Dwudzieste (Roaring Twenties). In June, only 43% of those eligible to vote for the first time were certain to exercise their right, and an additional 25% expressed a likelihood to participate in the elections.
However, the campaign, initiated with the release of the ‘Debutants ’23’ report (report only in Polish), detailing the perspectives of 1.5 million young Poles making their political debut, transcended mere encouragement to vote.
We conducted the campaign in collaboration with the Clean Air Fund, an international non-profit organization working towards systematically addressing air quality-related issues. The election campaign was an ideal moment to explore the importance of this issue for both debutant voters and politicians running for parliament.
Our objective was to bridge the gap between these two groups: the candidates for whom clean air and other environmental issues are crucial, and the young voters who would be choosing their representatives in the elections. The goal was to demonstrate to candidates what the younger generation expects so that politicians participating in the elections would be inclined to approach them with specific proposals.
How did we do it? Step by step.
STEP 1: THE REPORT
While there were already other projects examining the younger generation, our unique approach of concentrating on first-time voters (aged 18-21) in connection with the upcoming elections was particularly innovative. It introduced a fresh and original narrative for the media.
The study itself was thoroughly conducted by Lata Dwudzieste. It consisted of both qualitative and quantitative analysis of a survey conducted on a group of 1000 young individuals. The resulting report, titled ‘Debutants ’23’ besides being an effective PR tool, serves as a valuable source of knowledge about young adults for political decision-makers.
- Love, health, family, and friendship – these values were shared by the majority of respondents in the ‘Debutants ’23’ study. Young voters pointed to them as significantly more important than faith and patriotism, tolerance and ecology, or prestige and wealth.
- Dominant attitudes in this group include frustration with the political situation in Poland (80%), concerns related to inflation and the cost of living (72%), anxiety about entering adult life (63%), and concern for the state of the planet and the environment (59%). The respondents frequently expressed worry about their own and their closest ones’ mental well-being.
- Young people are not enthusiastic about ecology as an idea in itself, but many of their reported needs align with green demands – one of the most popular being affordable and accessible public transportation (35%), and almost half would like to live in a 15-minute city (meaning essential services like schools, stores, health clinics are within a 15-minute walking or biking radius from residential areas).
STEP 2: BUILDING NARRATIVES
The results of the study were highly complex and, at times, internally inconsistent. However, this complexity was anticipated, given that the study aimed to capture an entire generation, characterized by diverse individuals and groups with occasionally conflicting motivations. Therefore, by simply publishing the report online and allowing individuals to selectively pick results to support their own theses, we risked the emergence of numerous conflicting narratives. To counter this, alongside the report, we provided press releases and expert comments that shaped the narrative and prevented the misuse of result interpretations.
We communicated the results in a manner that was both alarming and hopeful simultaneously. The authors of the report, representing Profeina and Lata Dwudzieste, were actively involved in promoting the study’s results in the media.
The launch of the website mlodziwyborcy.pl featuring the most compelling study results and expert comments proved to be a strategic move. Observing that certain content related to the report gained traction on social media and users preferred not to navigate away from their applications, we promptly extended our online presence to Instagram, giving birth to the profile @debiutanci23. This facilitated easier interaction with users and enhanced their ability to follow the campaign.
The communication efforts primarily took place online, although our messages also appeared in traditional media. Mainstream titles with broad reach were most eager to pass on the report’s agenda. The campaign was covered by outlets such as Onet, Gazeta Wyborcza, TVN, Polsat, Rzeczpospolita, and Radio TOK FM.
STEP 3: GIVING THE VOICE TO THE GENERATION
One challenge we encountered was the age disparity: could the report’s creators, primarily millennials, be seen as a credible voice when discussing the youth, even with a professional study on the subject? We effectively addressed this by collaborating with non-governmental organizations and environmental movements, predominantly led by young individuals, to promote the report’s results and findings.
We enlisted the support of 8 NGOs and social movements: Inicjatywa Wschód (East Initiative), Młodzieżowy Strajk Klimatyczny (Youth Climate Strike), Rodzice dla Klimatu (Parents for Future), Fundacja Impuls (Impulse Foundation), Dom Spokojnej Młodości (House of Peaceful Youth), More in Common, Centrum Edukacji Obywatelskiej (Center for Civic Education), and Akcja Demokracja (Democracy Action).
Additionally, we or our partners took an active role as speakers in 7 events:
Kongres Regeneracja (Regeneration Congress), INSUMMIT, EFNI, Slot Art Festival, Pol’and’Rock Festival, Erasmus Mission in Poland, and Generational Bridges: Time for Regeneration.
Challenges? Many media outlets focused mainly on the political preferences of first-time voters, even though the overwhelming majority of the report addressed their attitudes towards social and environmental issues. Highlighting this information often required arranging paid publications and collaborating with climate movements.
STEP 4: INVOLVING POLITICIANS
The Youth Compass
Conducting the study allowed us to identify topics important to young voters – including their stance on the clean air agenda and environmental protection. With this knowledge, we were able to create the Youth Compass – an online test that assesses the extent to which voters’ opinions align with the programs of specific parties.
While preparing the Youth Compass, we posed 16 questions to electoral committees, with 10 focusing on air quality-related topics. Five out of six national electoral committees responded to our questions. The committees had the opportunity to add their comments to the answers.
Pre-election debates and interviews
The report also served as inspiration for three pre-election debates, enabling moderators to ask questions related to green issues important to young voters that were not typically addressed in other debates.
On September 27, Profeina, together with Rodzice dla Klimatu and Młodzieżowy Strajk Klimatyczny, organized a debate at the Climate Activism Center ‘Gniazdo’ in Warsaw (also broadcasted online).
On October 11, we organized an online debate on Onet.pl with young candidates. Interestingly, one of the participants, Adam Gomoła, was elected as the youngest member of the X term of the Parliament.
On October 13, together with the Student Scientific Circle of the University of Warsaw ‘SKN UW Dla Klimatu’ and five magazines from the ‘Spięcie’ project – Magazyn Kontakt, Klub Jagielloński, Krytyka Polityczna, Kultura Liberalna, and Nowa Konfederacja – we organized a debate between candidates and journalists at the Marzyciele i Rzemieślnicy space in Warsaw (also broadcasted online).
In September and October, there were 8 online pre-election interviews on the topic of clean air conducted on Instagram by Rodzice dla Klimatu and Akcja Demokracja.
Five out of the eight interviewed candidates were elected to the new parliament:
- Alicja Chybicka (PO),
- Joanna Mucha (Polska 2050),
- Krzysztof Kwiatkowski,
- Urszula Zielińska (Zieloni),
- Daria Gosek-Popiołek (Razem).
STEP 5: RESULTS
Media Campaign:
- 280+ publications
- 27,5+ mln reach
Website mlodziwyborcy.pl:
- 33,500 people visited the main page,
- 2,000 people downloaded the report,
- 40,000 people filled out the Youth Compass.
Involvement of ‘young’ non-governmental organisations and environmental activists
- 8 social movements engaged in promoting the report and its environmental agenda
Pre-election Debates
- 2 offline debates organised in collaboration with social movements and students,
- 1 online debate on Onet.pl: generated almost 1 million views!
- 8 pre-election online interviews on the topic of clean air with well-known politicians.
Political declarations on air quality issues, important to young voters:
- 5 out of 6 national electoral committees responded to our questions (all except PiS),
- 5 committees agreed to increase funding for public transportation and declared support for creating School Streets, green buffer zones, and restrictions on traffic or parking near educational institutions,
- 4 committees agreed that the development of renewable energy in Poland and the modernization of the energy network should be accelerated,
- 2 committees (Lewcia and Trzecia Droga) agreed that roads in cities should be narrowed in favour of sidewalks and bike paths,
- 1 committee (Lewica) agreed that gasoline and diesel vehicles should be replaced by electric vehicles, both in the public and private sectors.
And the ultimate impact of our efforts: a significant majority of young people (63%) cast their votes for parties that incorporated clean air issues into their election programs. These parties are set to shape the composition of the next Polish government.
We have compiled our observations and learnings from the campaign into an ebook titled “How to Build Social Campaigns.” You can download it here: Building a social campaign based on Debutants ‚23.
Authors of the campaign:
Bartosz Dąbrowski
Grzegorz Dzięgielewski
Sophie Peck
Zuzanna Szybisty
Weronika Sroka (debutant;)