Building on an Oxford research which concluded that people with ethnic-minority names have to send 60% more job applications to be invited to an interview, the not-for-profit organization People Like Us launched the #NameTheBias campaign to raise awareness about the harsh disparities in the UK workplaces. Developed in partnership with creative agency Worth Your While, the organization chose the Ethnicity Pay Gap Day (observed January 8) as the campaign’s launching day, posing the question “What’s in a name?”
At the heart of the initiative is a powerful short video directed by award-winning filmmaker Naghmeh Pour via new—land production company. The film spotlights the injustice ethnic people living in the UK face regarding career opportunities and how their names can hinder their professional growth and obstruct their wages.
The black-and-white video, narrated by British Bangladeshi lyricist Yasmin Ali, shows a group of ethnic minority people waiting at a bus stop. While the group watches the buses pass by — symbolically suggesting their missed job opportunities — Ali recites how their name can actually dictate their professional development.
“When people are judged by their names before their abilities, it reflects deep-rooted biases we must confront. I hope this piece challenges perceptions and opens conversations about fairness, equity, and opportunity,” explained Ali.
“Sometimes, a project hits so close to home that you can’t let it go. When Worth Your While and People Like Us approached me, I was deeply inspired by their passion and dedication to the cause. The issue at the heart of the film — inequality in pay and opportunities tied to ethnicity — is something I’ve experienced myself and witnessed other people experience too. This made the film deeply personal for me, and the journey of creating it was emotional. I’m so proud of this film, my hope is that, through the film and the campaign around it, we can spark hope and inspire real action from those in charge,” said Naghmeh Pour.
The campaign runs across social platforms and is complemented by social influencer activation and OOH billboards and targets the government, asking the officials to create a timeline for the ethnicity pay gap reporting bill. The video was showcased at events at the House of Lords and the Houses of Parliament on 8th January, along with a live poetry reading by the lyricist.
CREDITS
Brand: People Like Us
Agency: Worth Your While
Director: Naghmeh Pour
Production company: new—land
