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Wickedpedia: Who are those people on the RMV’s sample REAL IDs?

Here’s how the Registry of Motor Vehicles chose the sample photos for its REAL ID ad campaign before the May 7 deadline.

Have you ever wondered who the people are in those example REAL IDs?
Have you ever wondered who the people are in those example REAL IDs? Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles

By Darin Zullo

1 minute to read

After years of delays, Massachusetts’ REAL ID requirements will officially go into effect this week — for real this time.

Starting Wednesday, anyone 18 and older will be required to have a REAL ID driver’s license or ID card (or another form of identification like a passport) to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities. 

State officials want to make sure everyone knows about the upcoming requirement, so chances are high that you’ve seen REAL IDs promoted on billboards and in MBTA stations. The ads for the “Be Your REAL ID Self” campaign feature example IDs, usually with the name “Connor Sample.” But who are the people on those sample IDs?

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Since November 2024, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) has used sample licenses from marketing tool kits provided by the TSA, according to a Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) spokesperson. The tool kits are designed to be used and customized by state agencies.

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The current ad campaign reuses the same assets developed for the Department of Homeland Security’s 2021 REAL ID campaign before the deadline was pushed back, according to a TSA spokesperson. The people shown in the campaign are actors selected by Ignited, a digital marketing ad agency.

“When developing a campaign that showcases people, you can use stock photography, or customize by selecting actors recommended by the ad agency,” the spokesperson told Boston.com.

To get a Massachusetts REAL ID, you’ll need four required identity documents — one to prove you’re a legal U.S. citizen, one to verify your social security number, and two to prove you live in Massachusetts. Once you have everything you need, you can apply online or schedule an appointment at an RMV Service Center.

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Learn more about how to get a REAL ID here.

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