Uncommon: Extraordinary words become absurd candidates in the Oxford Word of the Year election campaign

The Oxford University Press (OUP) Word of the Year is not planning to be relegated to the small print this year. OUP has partnered with Uncommon Creative Studio to make the contenders stand out and get people voting.

And Uncommon’s flair for thinking outside the square has turned the brief into a first for the Word of the Year platform. The creative studio has transformed each shortlisted term – Aura Farming, Biohack, and Rage Bait – into a fully fledged ‘candidate’, campaigning for the public vote on social in an election-inspired activation. Each candidate has released manifesto films, fly posters, leaflets and social-native content designed to spark commentary and debate.

“The work taps into the cultural tensions, behaviours, and internet dynamics that shaped conversation in 2025 – from the performative mystique of aura farming to the self-optimisation boom driving biohacking, and the rising visibility of rage bait in online forums and comment sections,” Uncommon noted.

Here is the 2025 WOTY Shortlist:

Aura farming (n.)

The cultivation of an impressive or charismatic persona by presenting oneself in a way that subtly conveys confidence, coolness, or mystique.

Biohack (v.)

To improve or optimise physical or mental performance, health, or wellbeing through dietary, lifestyle, pharmacological, or technological interventions.