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Daily readers get personalised front pages urging them to vote

A city daily made a direct appeal for its readers to vote with a series of personalised front pages this morning.

Glasgow’s Evening Times used new printing technology to carry 100 different first names on individual editions, urging people to visit their local polling station in today’s Scottish Parliament election.

The names were compiled from a database of the most popular boys and girls’ names for children born in Scotland in 1950, 1975 and 2000 – as 16-year-olds are allowed to vote in this election.

Among those to receive a copy of the newspaper featuring their name was Nicola Sturgeon, pictured below.

Glasgow Sturgeon

In a message to readers, editor Graham Shields said: “By using advanced printing technology to personalise the papers with more than 100 different first names we hope the message will be noticed.

“Staying at home says nothing and lets down the generations of men and women who fought and campaigned over the years to establish and preserve your democratic rights.

“In this special edition of the paper, the name on the front is the only difference between copies, with the rest of the content being the same.”

Glasgow election

As well as the names from the database, Graham said one or two other names were “added for fun”.

He told HTFP: “The reaction so far has been positive and people are responding to seeing their name in the paper.”