Get ready for Brexit
{{Short description|2019 British advertising campaign}}
File:Get ready for Brexit campaign.jpg
Get ready for Brexit was a campaign launched by the British government on 2 September 2019. It encouraged the public to prepare for the UK leaving the European Union (EU) on 31 October. It ran across television, social media, billboards and other platforms and was the largest government public information campaign in British history.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/get-ready-for-brexit-campaign-launched|title='Get Ready for Brexit' campaign launched|last=|first=|date=1 September 2019|website=GOV.UK|access-date=8 October 2019}}
Development
The Times reported on 30 August 2019 that a taxpayer-funded advertising campaign was under development which would cost up to £100 million.{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/get-ready-for-no-deal-says-100m-ad-campaign-c7lkc2xmj|title='Get ready' for no-deal Brexit, says £100m ad campaign|last=|first=|date=20 August 2019|website=The Times|access-date=8 October 2019}}
The campaign was developed by Engine Group who were appointed following Boris Johnson's election in the 2019 Conservative Party leadership contest.{{cite web|url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2019/09/01/british-government-s-100m-brexit-advertising-campaign-revealed|title=British Government's £100m Brexit advertising campaign revealed|last=Lepitak|first=Stephen|date=1 September 2019|website=The Drum|access-date=8 October 2019}} Manning Gottlieb OMD were hired to handle the campaign's media buying.{{cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/opinion/columnists/get-ready-for-brexit-is-a-100-million-campaign-that-underwhelms-and-falls-short-539916|title='Get ready for Brexit' is a £100 million campaign that underwhelms and falls short|last=Rogers|first=Danny|date=8 September 2019|website=inews|access-date=8 October 2019}}
Launch
File:Get ready for Brexit- Business version.jpg shopping arcade focused on businesses.]]
The campaign went live on 2 September 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/01/get-ready-for-brexit-government-launches-information-blitz|title='Get Ready for Brexit': government launches information blitz|last=Waterson|first=Jim|date=1 September 2019|website=The Guardian|access-date=8 October 2019}}
Reception
Conclusion
The advertising campaign continued throughout September and October 2019 even as it appeared increasing unlikely the 31 October deadline would be met.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/25/get-ready-for-the-impossible-brexit-ads-still-counting-down|title=Get ready for the impossible: Brexit ads still counting down|last=Waterson|first=Jim|date=25 October 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=25 January 2020|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} The campaign was paused on 28 October after Boris Johnson accepted the EU's offer to extend the withdrawal process until 31 January 2020.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-50181485 |title=Brexit: Government 'pauses' £100m 31 October ad campaign |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=28 October 2019 |accessdate=28 October 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jan/28/get-ready-for-brexit-campaign-had-little-effect-says-watchdog|title='Get Ready for Brexit' campaign had little effect, says watchdog|last=Syal|first=Rajeev|date=28 January 2020|work=The Guardian|access-date=28 January 2020|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}
In January 2020, the National Audit Office reported that the government had spent £46 million on the Get Ready for Brexit campaign in October 2019. The auditors concluded that "it is not clear that the campaign resulted in the public being significantly better prepared".
References
{{Reflist|30em}}