A NEW national billboard campaign is sending the message to Scotland that independence is normal. The Believe in Scotland campaign also stresses that independence is inevitable, pointing out that it’s backed by 72% of people aged 16-34.
This is the third billboard campaign from Believe in Scotland which, combined with its matching Facebook campaign, is estimated to have generated nearly two million views.
It has also partnered with The National to sign up 5550 people to the Yes Challenge, which is looking to convert undecided voters.
Believe in Scotland’s Facebook group now has 20,000 members – it has grown by 2300 members a month since its launch late year.
The two new billboards will rotate on 48 electronic screens throughout the country carrying two very simple messages.
The slogan Independence is Normal is emblazoned on the first across a scenic view of Scotland intended to both soften the message and inspire positive feelings about the country’s beauty.
The second carries a humorous image of a group of young people looking at their phones, with the words Independence is Inevitable in large white text on a blue background, reminding onlookers of the Saltire without actually having a flag in the image. The strapline states that 72% of 16-34 year olds support Scottish independence.
The group has promised another two major billboard campaigns before the end of the year.
“These two contrasting images work well together and both give a clear and positive message about independence without being nationalistic or flag-waving,” explained Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp of Believe in Scotland.
“We thought it was important to communicate that young people wholeheartedly support independence which should send a message to older folks to consider their position – it’s also intended to be a little disheartening for Unionist campaigners.”
He added: “Independence is of course only inevitable if the Yes community gets behind positive and high profile campaigns such as Believe in Scotland. We steer clear of all the negativity and politicking, we just keep reaching out, engaging, educating and converting the undecided and the persuadable.”
Believe in Scotland is the largest, most active independence campaign and since winning The National’s award for independence campaign of the year last year, it has significantly increased campaigning activities.
Spinning out of Business for Scotland as a grassroots led organisation to supporting local Yes groups with campaign materials, books, leaflets, posters and the like, the first step was to raise funds, not through a crowdfunder, but from sales of the book Scotland the Brief, the definitive study of Scotland’s economy and its finances.
The book has sold 21,000 copies and sales are still going strong which the organisation says will help fund more innovative campaigning initiatives in the coming months.
Recently, Believe in Scotland has been merging and renaming several of its Facebook pages to create a single major independence campaigning brand with more than 200,000 likes. Scotland’s biggest indy page We are the 45% will soon merge with the Believe in Scotland’s page.
The group launched an indy image gallery for memes, posters and shareable images at believeinscotland.org/gallery/.
Several images have individually generated more than 1000 Facebook shares and hundreds of thousands of views.
MacIntyre-Kemp said the next step was to launch a major initiative supplying a free campaign pack to more than 120 partner local Yes groups.
“Combining real-world campaign reach with by far the largest social media reach of any independence group means Believe in Scotland is well placed to keep pushing our positive independence message and help get Yes over the line in indyref2, most likely in Autumn 2022,” he said.
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