The Royal Navy has failed to hit recruitment targets every year since 2011, so clearly a fresh approach is needed. This campaign by House337 uses a gateway option, the Royal Navy Reserves, to lure people in.
Instead of joining gyms, sports clubs or social communities, it argues that you can get all the adventure, camaraderie, and self-improvement you need with the Reserves. Even better, you only need to commit 24 days a year and you get paid to do it.
Paul Colley, head of marketing, Royal Navy said: “We need people to understand what it means to be part of the Royal Navy Reserves. This campaign shows the reality; that our Reserves are at the heart of the action, gaining incredible experiences and skills that simply aren’t available anywhere else. We’re not asking people to sit on the bench; we’re inviting them to join an exclusive club where they’ll be challenged, supported and valued.”
Steve Hawthorne, creative director, House 337 said: “Joining the Reserves is a unique proposition… so we needed a unique campaign that avoids the usual tropes of military advertising and reveals that the ultimate club is, in fact, the Royal Navy Reserves.”
This one looks like it’s had a bigger budget than some of the recent recruitment campaigns for the armed forces, and it makes a good case. Let’s hope it works as they must be running out of new angles.
MAA creative scale: 7.5
