2018 marked the 100-year anniversary of women obtaining the vote in the UK. By way of commemoration and celebration, a mass participation event was staged, PROCESSIONS, whereby tens of thousands of women marched through the streets of UK cities. As a proud partner, NatWest were invited to lend their support to the event.

‘Deeds not words’ was the motto of the Suffragettes and this was the brief we set ourselves, thereby informing our response. We wanted to show support through actions rather than words.

'A deed without words.'

The only people missing from the event were the ones who fought for the right to vote, 100 years ago, so it was important that they were not forgotten nor overshadowed in the day of celebration.

Therefore, we respectfully honoured the struggles of the suffrage movement by bringing original campaigners Emmeline Pankhurst and Millicent Fawcett back to life and present at the event. Taking iconic images from 100 years ago and the use of modern animation techniques, the heroines were shown to be waving and applauding to those taking part in the march, in a show of support. These were placed on digital billboards along the routes and across location-targeted social channels.

2018 marks the 100-year anniversary of women getting the vote in the UK. By way of celebration, a mass participation event was staged, PROCESSIONS, whereby tens of thousands of women marched through the streets of UK cities. The event gave women of today a platform to show their solidarity with those who fought 100 years ago.

Being defined by our actions is the basis of NatWest’s brand platform, ‘We Are What We Do’, This sentiment is perfectly echoed by the suffragette’s own motto: ‘Deeds not words’.

We made sure the sponsorship lived up to these words to show our own solidarity with the women taking part. Rather than declaring our support (none of our communications promoted our sponsorship) we demonstrated it, creating a once in a life-time experience where those taking part were personally thanked by the very women who made the right to vote possible.

PROCESSIONS took place on 10th June 2018 across Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London.

Taking iconic images from 100 years ago and with the use of modern animation techniques, we respectfully honoured the struggles of the suffrage movement by bringing original campaigners Emmeline Pankhurst and Millicent Fawcett back to life, waving and applauding to those taking part, in a show of support.

On the morning of the event we sent a message of ‘Thank you to all those taking part’ via social geo-located around the routes and via tube escalator panels (in London). We were then present along the routes as women marched on digital billboards. Finally, a film of the day was re-purposed for December 14th, 2018. The date on which 100 years prior, many women realised their wish and voted for the first time in a general election. This was played out nationwide in cinemas and on social channels.

As well as every single participant seeing the messages of support, thousands engaged with the billboards (by clapping, waving back, taking selfies and sharing on social), all in response to what they witnessed. Reaction on social saw 100% positive sentiment (which is unheard of for a bank). As a fitting tribute, it was personally endorsed by women’s rights activist and Emmeline Pankhurst’s great-grand daughter, Helen Pankhurst.

100% of attendees exposed to the work (billboards positioned on the marches)

1,000s of direct engagements with billboards at the end of the event

100% positive reaction on social channels

13.6% VTR for in-feed Instagram and Facebook (average for NatWest 4.66%)