Listening to young people and amplifying their voices is at the core of what we do.
futurevoice’s research efforts are led by John Della Volpe, a renowned expert on youth opinion and voting patterns. John serves as the Director of Polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics and CEO of SocialSphere, bringing more than 25 years of experience studying young Americans to spark action.
Our research shows that Gen Z and young millennials share a common set of values that transcend partisanship. In town halls and focus groups across the country in Detroit, Columbus, Atlanta, Phoenix, Orange County and Philadelphia, they told us they care about protecting the vulnerable, investing in education, reducing gun violence and fighting climate change. futurevoice connects these values to civic engagement, showing young people how their participation has delivered results and can drive meaningful change.
We employ a values-based messaging framework, focusing on the “why” of civic participation with positivity and optimism. Our original digital content is developed by young creatives and digital content creators, informed by John’s extensive research on the attitudes and values of Gen Z and young millennials, and distributed across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and more.
How do we do it? Here’s an example: Our “Voting Works” and “Because You Voted” videos were tested alongside five others in a national mid-August survey among 2,041 adults between the ages of 18 and 29. Analysis of survey results involved attitudinal segmentation with our research team identifying five cohorts within the youth electorate distinguishable by their divergent views on government and the efficacy of political participation. As a group, all ads tested were rated positively for their overall impressions, clarity, relevance to respondents’ own priorities, shareability, ability to grab viewers’ attention and likelihood of motivating voter turnout.
“Voting worked then. It works now.” This video’s message highlights the profound, generational impact of collective political action, lending historical context to illustrate how voting can bring about positive social change. Research has shown that a key obstacle standing between many would-be voters under 30 and the ballot box is disbelief that their voices (and votes) matter. “Voting Works” uses stories and imagery harkening back to hard-fought victories of the American civil rights movement to frame its call-to-action for young voters to stand together to influence the country’s future. It resonates strongly across key demographic subgroups, as well as those identified by our modeling as persuadable (but not certain) to vote in 2024. Asked how the ad made them feel, one young adult responded, “Honored and privileged having the power to vote.” Another put it simply, “Like I’d be a fool if I didn’t vote [in 2024].”
Responses to open- and closed-ended survey items confirm earlier focus group findings showing the “Because You Voted” video is broadly appealing to young Americans. Its direct, hopeful message revives voter engagement, meets them where they are on a key issue and builds trust by showcasing a campaign promise manifesting in policy. With 43.2 million U.S. adults holding an average of $37,000 in debt from pursuing higher education, this ad serves as a timely reminder of how young people getting to the polls on election day can bring about life-changing policy changes on issues that directly affect them. As one respondent put it, “The video was heartwarming and made me realize how important each vote is.”
