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National Year of Reading 2026 brand identity and director revealed
The National Literacy Trust, in partnership with the Department for Education, has today unveiled "Go All In" as the brand identity for the National Year of Reading (NLT) 2026, the initiative kick-started to address the reading-for-pleasure crisis. David Hayman has been appointed as the campaign’s director, joining from advocacy platform Global Citizen.
Developed in collaboration with independent creative agency Fold7, the strategy behind the "Go All In" messaging builds on the insight that the decline in reading and reading enjoyment is largely due to loss of motivation. Just 9% of readers responding to a survey by the National Literacy Trust said they believed reading "helps them spend time with others" and fewer than one in five said it "helps them feel connected with the world".
"Reading doesn’t seem to offer the immediate social rewards that motivate us today. It’s seen as slow, solitary and studious in a world that values speed, status and spectacle," said Yelena Gaufman, chief strategy officer at Fold7. "Historically, campaigns encouraging literacy have focused on the long-term benefits of reading – its ability to make you more knowledgeable, creative or successful. But these messages seem increasingly out of step with a culture that values immediate rewards and demands entertainment, right now."
NLT chief executive Jonathan Douglas added: "‘Go All In’ captures exactly the kind of energy and optimism we need to transform how the nation sees reading. This is about making reading feel relevant, exciting and rewarding right now, not just in the future. We’re proud to be working with the Department for Education and partners across the UK to spark a movement that puts reading back at the heart of our culture."
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Designed to spark curiosity and drive behaviour change, the campaign focuses "on appeal, not duty" and highlights the immediate rewards of reading, rather than the long-term benefits. It aims to position reading as the ultimate tool for diving deeper into the things that matter to people.
To bring the campaign to life visually, Fold7’s brand consultancy studio Fold7Design created a new identity centred on "The Open Book" – a portable visual device symbolising depth, discovery and imagination. This graphic tool will be featured across digital platforms, print, schools, libraries and community spaces throughout 2026.
NLT has appointed Hayman to lead this ambitious campaign. He previously served as UK campaigns and advocacy director at Global Citizen and brings experience in building purpose-driven movements. Prior to this, he helped launch and grow award-winning campaigns for sustainable finance Make My Money Matter, co-founded by filmmaker Richard Curtis. With a background in international development, climate and education reform, Hayman brings expertise in strategic partnerships, communications and mobilising public engagement.
He said: "Reading is one of the most powerful tools we have to connect, create and grow. But right now, too many people are switching off from it. Through ’Go All In’, we want to reimagine reading as something modern, meaningful and social. This campaign is about reaching people where they are and inviting them to rediscover the power – and joy – of reading."
The National Year of Reading 2026 initiative, designed to reignite a nationwide passion for reading, was launched by education secretary Bridget Phillipson in July following research published by the National Literacy Trust in November 2024 showing that children and young people’s enjoyment of reading had fallen to the lowest level in almost two decades.
To get involved with the National Year of Reading, sign up for regular updates on the campaign website.
