Mark Johnson Graphic Designer

ABOUT

'We are England' is a campaign from The Wild for the Euro 2020 tournament which aims to celebrate the rich diversity of England supporters who make this country what it is today.

Two surveys, each of 2,000 people, carried out by YouGov and Word On The Curb, have established a disconnect between how the population at large, ethnic minority groups, and different generations, perceive their support of the England football team.

While the YouGov survey of the population at large found just 47% of the country would ‘follow and support the England football team during the Euro 2020 tournament’, the targeted Curbsights survey found that 60% would, suggesting those with Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds actually feel more affinity towards the England football team.

This landmark finding is at odds with the pride felt by those from minority backgrounds in wearing the England shirt. When asked whether or not one might wear the England shirt in public, 59% of the Curbsights panel likewise said they would not. The YouGov poll of the nation at large was fairly evenly split in this regard (except for Gen Z, who overwhelmingly rejected its wearing by a margin of 59% to 41%).

This disconnect between supporting the England team, yet not feeling comfortable wearing the shirt with pride, is an issue that The Wild, the creative agency behind the We Are England campaign, is hoping to highlight.

As part of the We Are England campaign The Wild has produced custom England shirts that have been redesigned utilising DNA testing to feel more representative of their owner’s diverse backgrounds.

A First XI of influencers including Jemel One Five, Joelah Noble, Robbie Lyle, Ms Paigey Cakey, Obayed Hussain and Denz & Renz have joined the campaign, each of whom have received a one-off painted shirt using DNA testing to glean an understanding of who the wearers are, and to celebrate that heritage alongside their support for England – to give them a shirt that represents all of who they are, that they can feel proud to wear.

The campaign is also giving the public the chance to own a custom England shirt of their own, that reflects their own heritage. A competition is being run on the campaign Instagram page, whereby two winners will take DNA tests that explore their own heritage, which will then be made into custom shirts.

Project featured: on 19th July 2021

We Are England

*
*
*
*

Comments