Declare Yourself
Encyclopedia
Declare Yourself is a campaign initiated during the 2004 United States presidential elections to encourage young people to register to vote. It began as the "Declaration of Independence Road Trip", a 50-city cross-country tour of a rare Dunlap broadside of the Declaration of Independence lasting three-and-a-half years.
project hopes to inspire Americans to participate in civic activism, to exercise their rights and to vote. The Declaration of Independence Road Trip will travel to cities and towns across the United States, creatively combining elements of education, entertainment, and community outreach."
Founded by TV producer and philanthropist Norman Lear
, and led by Honorary Co-Chairs and former Presidents Jimmy Carter
and Gerald Ford
, "Declare Yourself" is described in their literature as a "national nonpartisan, nonprofit campaign initiated in 2004 to energize and empower a new movement of young voters to participate in the 2004 presidential election. From January through Election Day 2004, over one million young and first-time voters registered to vote through events at Declare Yourself's spoken word and music tour of college campuses.
Declare Yourself revved up its campaign again in 2007 for the 2008 presidential primaries and general election. This campaign is focusing on viral videos on video sharing sites like YouTube, MySpace, Break.com, and Daily Motion. The videos feature actors from the popular TV shows Reno 911!
and The Office
, and the movie Superbad.
. They pretend to be clichéd commercials for different products but all end with the same ending: Silence. After the image, there's an eerie silence as the words "Only You Can Silence Yourself" appear, followed by a voice whispering "Register to vote now."
Dog Food
An innocent-looking dog food ad where woman comments how her dog has not a care in the world and choses the brand 'Apathy' and hopes that she'll be like the dog and be taken care of herself. Suddenly we cut to an image of her on all fours with a muzzle on.
Watch Dog Food PSA on YouTube
Phat Ride
A typical ad in the style of 'Pimp My Ride', when it ends as a mechanic has nailed his mouth shut. Watch Phat Ride PSA on YouTube
Vanity
A commercial which advertises a lipstick called 'Lip-Sealer' with the cliché of a model posing with a voice over. Suddenly, the model's lips have been glued shut as she tries to speak, but is only able to mumble. Distorted voices are also heard.
Watch Vanity PSA on YouTube
The Man
In 2007 Declare Yourself shot another series of PSAs starring Ben Garant and Tom Lennon of Comedy Central's "Reno 911!". The series, entitled "The Man," featured Ben and Tom posing as The Man to encourage young people NOT to vote. The sarcastic series has a following on MySpace TV, YouTube, and Break.
, Declare Yourself hired photographers Mark Liddell and David LaChapelle to shoot a bondage
-themed print advertising campaign. The ads include models, including celebrities Christina Aguilera
, Jonathan Bennett, La Toya London and André 3000
, in various forms of bondage as a symbol of reducing one's voice by failing to register as a voter. The photos include the tag, "Only you can silence yourself." The ads drew national media attention, particularly those of actress Jessica Alba
, who wears no visible clothing and is bound with black tape over her mouth and chest. Alba said of the advertisement, "It didn't freak me out at all. What I like about Marc's work is that he tells a story and brings real emotion to his pictures."
to become Our Time
, a 501(c)(3) membership organization pushing for greater representation of all Americans under 30. Matthew Segal
is co-founder and president of OUR TIME.
Purpose
The DOI Road Trip's stated mission was to engage and energize all Americans, particularly young people, by bringing the Declaration to them. According to a press release, "This non-profit nonpartisanNonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
project hopes to inspire Americans to participate in civic activism, to exercise their rights and to vote. The Declaration of Independence Road Trip will travel to cities and towns across the United States, creatively combining elements of education, entertainment, and community outreach."
Founded by TV producer and philanthropist Norman Lear
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear is an American television writer and producer who produced such 1970s sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude...
, and led by Honorary Co-Chairs and former Presidents Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
and Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
, "Declare Yourself" is described in their literature as a "national nonpartisan, nonprofit campaign initiated in 2004 to energize and empower a new movement of young voters to participate in the 2004 presidential election. From January through Election Day 2004, over one million young and first-time voters registered to vote through events at Declare Yourself's spoken word and music tour of college campuses.
Declare Yourself revved up its campaign again in 2007 for the 2008 presidential primaries and general election. This campaign is focusing on viral videos on video sharing sites like YouTube, MySpace, Break.com, and Daily Motion. The videos feature actors from the popular TV shows Reno 911!
Reno 911!
Reno 911! is an American comedy television series on Comedy Central that ran from 2003 to 2009. It is a mockumentary-style parody of law enforcement documentary shows, specifically COPS, with comic actors playing the police officers. Most of the material is improvised, using a broad outline, and...
and The Office
The Office (US TV series)
The Office is an American comedy television series broadcast by NBC. An adaptation of the original BBC series of the same name, it depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company...
, and the movie Superbad.
Commercials
In 2006, three public service announcements (PSAs) were released, each directed by David LaChapelleDavid LaChapelle
David LaChapelle is a photographer and director who works in the fields of fashion, advertising, and fine art photography, and is noted for his surreal, unique, sexualized, and often humorous style.-Early life:...
. They pretend to be clichéd commercials for different products but all end with the same ending: Silence. After the image, there's an eerie silence as the words "Only You Can Silence Yourself" appear, followed by a voice whispering "Register to vote now."
Dog Food
An innocent-looking dog food ad where woman comments how her dog has not a care in the world and choses the brand 'Apathy' and hopes that she'll be like the dog and be taken care of herself. Suddenly we cut to an image of her on all fours with a muzzle on.
Watch Dog Food PSA on YouTube
Phat Ride
A typical ad in the style of 'Pimp My Ride', when it ends as a mechanic has nailed his mouth shut. Watch Phat Ride PSA on YouTube
Vanity
A commercial which advertises a lipstick called 'Lip-Sealer' with the cliché of a model posing with a voice over. Suddenly, the model's lips have been glued shut as she tries to speak, but is only able to mumble. Distorted voices are also heard.
Watch Vanity PSA on YouTube
The Man
In 2007 Declare Yourself shot another series of PSAs starring Ben Garant and Tom Lennon of Comedy Central's "Reno 911!". The series, entitled "The Man," featured Ben and Tom posing as The Man to encourage young people NOT to vote. The sarcastic series has a following on MySpace TV, YouTube, and Break.
Bondage print ad campaign
To encourage voter registration among youth for the 2008 presidential electionUnited States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, Declare Yourself hired photographers Mark Liddell and David LaChapelle to shoot a bondage
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
-themed print advertising campaign. The ads include models, including celebrities Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
, Jonathan Bennett, La Toya London and André 3000
André 3000
André Lauren Benjamin , better known by his stage name André 3000 is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor, best known for being part of American hip-hop duo OutKast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi...
, in various forms of bondage as a symbol of reducing one's voice by failing to register as a voter. The photos include the tag, "Only you can silence yourself." The ads drew national media attention, particularly those of actress Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba
Jessica Marie Alba is an American television and film actress. She began her television and movie appearances at age 13 in Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack . Alba rose to prominence as the lead actress in the television series Dark Angel...
, who wears no visible clothing and is bound with black tape over her mouth and chest. Alba said of the advertisement, "It didn't freak me out at all. What I like about Marc's work is that he tells a story and brings real emotion to his pictures."
Creation of Our Time
In March 2011, Declare Yourself combined with the Student Association for Voter EmpowermentStudent Association for Voter Empowerment
The Student Association for Voter Empowerment is an association of students with the stated aim of "work[ing] to bring young Americans into the political process by breaking down barriers to electoral participation and encouraging youth-led policy solutions."- Student Voter Act :The Student Voter...
to become Our Time
OUR TIME (nonprofit)
Our Time is a membership group for Americans under 30 leveraging strength in numbers in the name of "greater representation of young Americans in all segments of society." The organization descends from Declare Yourself and the Student Association for Voter Empowerment, and began operations as a...
, a 501(c)(3) membership organization pushing for greater representation of all Americans under 30. Matthew Segal
Matthew Segal
Matthew Segal is an American social entrepreneur, media commentator, and political activist. He is the co-founder and president of Our Time, a nationwide non-profit network of young Americans promoting economic and voter empowerment....
is co-founder and president of OUR TIME.