LONDON, 1st July 2026 – The /Together Coalition and M+C Saatchi Group UK have today launched a new advertising campaign for the National Conversation, a major UK-wide listening exercise run by the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion. Leading with a powerful film written by Dear England playwright James Graham OBE, accompanied by out-of-home and social media activity, the campaign invites people across Britain to take part by sharing how they experience community life and what kind of communities they want to build together. The survey can be found at:
www.thenationalconversation.org.uk
The National Conversation is underpinned by an independent survey designed and run by Nuffield College, University of Oxford, alongside thousands of group discussions held by partner organisations across the country. Backed by hundreds of groups, from the NHS to TikTok, the UK Muslim Network to the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the Church Urban Fund to the Countryside Alliance, it aims to create the country’s most comprehensive mapping to date of how connected Britain feels and where common ground exists for the future.
It comes as questions around trust, belonging and social cohesion are increasingly prominent. It aims to reach as broad a range of people as possible, to better understand how people are experiencing community life today, what they value most, and what they want their communities to look like in the future.
People, businesses and community groups are being encouraged to get involved in two simple ways: by completing the University of Oxford survey, or by hosting a group conversation within their own community.
M+C Saatchi set out to create a campaign that could encourage participation at a national scale, frame the moment Britain finds itself in and introduce The National Conversation in a way that felt credible, inclusive and apolitical.
To launch the campaign and create a national moment, M+C Saatchi has developed a new film in collaboration with award-winning British playwright James Graham OBE, writer of Dear England, featuring a voiceover by Sir Ian McKellen.
Set against stunning black and white photography created by 16 photographers, the powerful words give an impassioned defence of English identity, arguing that despite doubts, stereotypes and divisions, England already knows who it is: a nation with deep roots, enduring stories, quiet confidence and a shared spirit that is strongest when people come together.
The spot invites people to share their voice and have their say on the country they want to see.
The film is supported by a striking out-of-home campaign that reflects the openness of the questionnaire itself. It invites people to “try on” different points of view, encouraging them to see familiar issues through new perspectives and better understand the experiences of others.
At the heart of the out-of-home work is a visual system inspired by online search. As search suggestions appear while you type, each execution presents three possible responses to a question: two opposing viewpoints and one in between. It reinforces a simple message: every perspective is welcome, and understanding starts with listening.
Each execution begins with the words “I feel”, encouraging people to speak from personal experience rather than ideology. The campaign explores themes taken directly from the questionnaire, including safety, green spaces, diversity and religion. The imagery is designed to spark reflection while leaving space for people to bring their own experiences and interpretations.
The campaign’s visual identity includes a newly designed logo featuring stylised text boxes to represent the back-and-forth nature of conversation. A black-and-white colour palette was chosen to maximise accessibility and avoid political associations.
The creative team deliberately sought imagery that was striking but open to interpretation, reflecting different regions, communities and demographics across Britain. Throughout, the campaign adopts a calm, human and deliberately apolitical tone designed to ensure everyone feels their perspective is valued.
Running across out-of-home and social media, the campaign will appear on digital 48-sheet and 6-sheet sites donated by media owners JCDecaux and Bauer Media, alongside activity across the National Conversation’s social channels. Every execution directs audiences to take part in the survey and contribute their views.
Brendan Cox, co-founder of The /Together Coalition, said: “Our country needs to talk about who we are. We hope this film starts the conversation – but it’s the public’s vision that really matters. The National Conversation is the first serious attempt to give people a voice and play back to the country what unites us, what divides us and what would bring us closer together. Don’t let others speak for you. “We couldn’t have asked for better creative partners than M+C Saatchi, whose talent and commitment have helped turn an ambitious idea into a campaign that we hope will inspire people across Britain to take part.”
Victoria Verbi, Head of Communications and Campaigns at The /Together Coalition, said: “The National Conversation is about listening to people across Britain and understanding their experiences of community life. We want to hear from as broad a range of people as possible, regardless of their background, beliefs or where they live. By bringing together large-scale research with conversations happening in communities across the country, we can build a richer understanding of what matters to people and where there is common ground to build on.”
James Graham OBE, Dear England playwright, said: “Gareth Southgate started his preparation for the World Cup by asking the team, what is England? We can’t expect our footballers to play with pride unless we are all clear about what it means to them, to us, about what unites and defines us. This short film is my attempt to contribute to that vision of what connects us – but it’s not just mine, it’s inspired by the national conversation.”
Marcus Peffers, Executive Chair, M+C Saatchi Group UK, said: “This is Cultural Power at its most constructive. The National Conversation brings together rigorous research, grassroots participation and creativity to build a richer understanding of modern Britain. By helping uncover what people value, what connects them and what they want from their communities, it aims to create one of the most comprehensive pictures yet of how connected Britain feels today.”
Guy Bradbury, Creative Partner, M+C Saatchi Group UK, said: “At a time when our country is searching for hope, clarity and something to unite us, we wanted to create a moment that reminds us what we still share. There could be no better voices to do this than one of England’s greatest playwrights and one of our greatest actors. We hope the campaign rallies the nation ahead of tonight’s game, and inspires people to have their say on the future they want for our country.”
The National Conversation survey is available at
www.thenationalconversation.org.uk.
