Ahead of the 2024 Greater Manchester Mayoral Election, Creative Concern was commissioned by Clean Cities Campaign to create a campaign calling on candidates to pledge to clean up our air. 

Greater Manchester is one of the most polluted places in the UK. Levels of nitrogen dioxide are reported higher here than anywhere else in the country, and well over the UK legal limit. 

Nitrogen dioxide is a gas that is harmful to human health. A major source in our cities is petrol and diesel engines. Along with other pollutants, nitrogen dioxide affects lung function – especially in the old and young – and particularly impacts those with existing conditions such as asthma.

Greater Manchester deserves better. This campaign reveals the facts about air pollution, and asks voters to take action now by emailing a mayoral candidate.

The campaign was launched with an expose style film, with experts revealing the truth about the air we breathe, and locals outlining the impact this has on their daily lives. Guerrilla style posters were pasted across Manchester City Centre in high-traffic areas, directing people to a campaign landing landing page.

The call to action was clear - Take action now to get our mayoral candidates to sit up and take notice of our dirty air. An email template was embedded on the campaign landing page to allow people to email candidates directly with demands.

The campaign was a partnership between Clean Cities, Ardwick Climate Action, Asthma and Lung UK, Friends of the Earth Manchester, Let's Talk Clean Air Whalley Range, Mums for Lungs, Walk Ride GM, and was also activated across their social media channels.