Grangemouth student's campaign idea helps anti-sectarian charity battle bigotry

Dylan McKirdy, 21, from Grangemouth, is working with the Nil by Mouth group to launch a new campaign aimed at promoting its “United Against Division” school

programme, which gives young people a greater understanding of different faiths and cultures.

The campaign, devised Dylan himself, is part of City of Glasgow College’s “Pitch Perfect” competition which saws over 100 marketing students compete to create a

campaign which challenges people to act against hatred.

Dylan’s winning concept was chosen by an independent panel of judges drawn from the world of the arts, marketing and charity campaigning.

His campaign draws on classroom themes such as blackboards and numerical symbols allied with effective slogans such as “‘Divide Numbers, Not People”.

It will run across a range of local media outlets and teaching websites as well as social media platforms from January.

He said: “‘I wanted to come up with a campaign that would let people quickly understand what the charity was all about and who its target audience is. Given the

importance of education to Nil by Mouth’s work I felt using symbols that people easily associated with schools such as numerical signs and blackboards would be most effective.

"The charity liked the idea so much that in addition to the promotional campaign it's also commissioned hundreds of posters which pupils can hold up at the end of each Nil by Mouth workshop to reinforce their support for the campaign.

"I’ve learned a lot about the issue by taking part in the project and it's been good developing my skills working on something which will hopefully promote greater tolerance and understanding between people.’

Over 5000 pupils from more than 70 schools participated in the project, which is supported by the Scottish Government through its Tackling Sectarianism programme, and Nil By Mouth hope Dylan’s campaign will encourage even more to sign up.

Charity director Dave Scott said: “We’re delighted to be working with Dylan on this campaign as he is a very talented guy and the judges were hugely impressed by his presentation and personality.

"His idea is simple but highly effective and we had no hesitation in commissioning it to run during the first few months of 2024 to promote the ‘United Against Division’ programme.

"Schools work is absolutely central to everything we do as the earlier young people are presented with positive messages and facts the lesser the risk of them developing sectarian attitudes.

"This year we have worked with several schools within Falkirk and we hope even more will see the campaign and get in touch to arrange a visit. This project also

shows what talent we have in Scottish colleges and we have had professional marketing companies who haven’t pitched ideas as good as Dylan’s too use.

"He is a young man with a big future and we are delighted he chose to put his skills to such positive social use.”