The advertising industry has launched an updated edition of its ‘What’s the deal with political advertising?’ guide to help young people make sense of the political content they may encounter in the run-up to the upcoming elections in May.
Media Smart, the advertising and media industry’s education programme, has partnered with the Advertising Association on the initiative which will also include an awareness campaign delivered via their online channels to reach young people preparing to vote.
Through a partnership with Next-Gen Media, six thought-provoking ad executions will appear across digital screens in universities and colleges in the UK, reaching approximately 250,000+ young people each day.
Research from Next-Gen Media’s Youth Panel found that more than half (58%) of 16- to 24-year-olds do not trust the political advertising they see. The 10-point guide helps young people assess and check any videos or images they see online to ensure the information comes from trustworthy news sources.
The poll also found that 84% of students surveyed were worried about being manipulated by the use of AI imagery in political advertising, and 46% did not know what an imprint is. Therefore, the guide will offer specific guidance on AI-generated content and imprints, to help improve young people’s media literacy and promote more informed engagement with online political content.
Media Smart worked with youth-focused creative agency Livity to produce the original guide. The campaign breaks down how election advertising works on different platforms, what the rules are, and how young voters can use critical thinking skills when looking at political adverts and news sources ahead of UK local elections, Welsh Government and Scottish Government elections on May 7 2026.
This year’s resource also includes expanded Scotland-specific guidance, reflecting differences in voting age and imprint rules.
Media Smart executive director Rachel Barber-Mack said: “As Media Smart was a supporter of Safer Internet Day 2026, which focused on the safe and responsible use of AI, we know this is an issue young people care deeply about nationally.
“Political content is increasingly shaped by AI and digital tools, which can make it harder for young people to tell what is real and who is behind the political advertising they see. By updating this campaign, we want to help young voters better understand the rules that apply to election advertising and encourage the use of critical thinking skills when looking at political ads.”
Advertising Association chief executive Stephen Woodford added: “I’m delighted to see our industry continue to equip young voters with the critical tools to interpret the messages they see, especially as election advertising is not regulated by the ASA, unlike commercial ads.
“Media Smart’s resources play an important role in helping young voters understand political advertising and how to interpret the messages they see, increasing their confidence, especially when navigating online spaces.”
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