Four different styrene copolymers with stilbenoid side chains were synthesised under Williamson ether or Wadsworth–Emmons conditions. Blends of these graft copolymers with 4,4′‐bis[2,2‐bis(4‐methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]biphenyl (TMBiPPT), a good blue light emitting oligomer, yielded efficient host–guest systems with only emission from the oligomer. TMBiPPT has a maximum absorption at 365 nm, and the emission spectra of the synthesised graft copolymers all had a significant spectral overlap with the absorption spectrum of TMBiPPT. Since we can tune both the structures of the graft copolymer and the oligomer, this is very promising for obtaining new materials to use in a single‐layer OLED (organic light emitting diode). Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry