Royal Navy
Recruiting a new generation to one of the world's oldest organisations.
For 5 years I led the creative across all digital channels for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. Building a recognisable brand across the web and social to attract and recruit thousands of new personnel each year.
Creative Director – Great State
Websites | Social | Campaigns | Products | Strategy
Background
Every year, the Royal Navy needs a staggering 25,000 new applicants to stay shipshape. They faced the challenge of standing out and competing with enticing civilian jobs that often promise more flexibility and better pay. The recruits, aged 16-35, aren't just numbers—they're a diverse bunch from all walks of life, each bringing their unique motives, interests, and backgrounds to the table. Our mission was to craft a seamless, end-to-end recruitment experience, designed to attract, support, and convert each new wave of recruits through their digital platforms.
Approach
We took the helm of their digital ecosystem, seamlessly weaving journeys across social channels and websites. With over 100 roles available—from Commandos to Chefs, Dentists to Nuclear Engineers—no two naval careers are the same. The appeal is as diverse as the recruits, from inner-city school-leavers to master's degree graduates.
To truly understand their motivations, potential application pitfalls, and cultural perceptions of the Navy, we interviewed hundreds of personnel about their journey into naval life. We developed complex and evolving personas, segmentation models, and comprehensive experience and service maps to capture the full, holistic view.
We maintained an ongoing, always-on stream of targeted campaigns, tailoring our message to resonate personally with different audiences and painting a compelling picture of Navy life.
Additionally, we executed dozens of highly successful hero campaigns across various channels, driving recruitment among underrepresented demographics and filling roles that often went under-applied.
Submariner recruitment campaign casestudy
We completely overhauled the recruitment websites, redesigning and reimagining content and videos to better support decision-making and training. We developed tools to aid in role-finding, creating a vast and interconnected recruitment ecosystem across all channels.
Support video played to new recruits on their first day of training.
One of many Role Videos to help potential recruits chose a role to apply for.
Over the past five years, our revamped digital recruitment strategy has resulted in a 3% annual increase in on-site application conversions, a 25% boost in site visits (now surpassing 9 million per year), and a more than threefold growth in our social media audiences. Our work has garnered numerous awards, including the Times ‘Best Graduate Recruitment Award’ and the Grand Prix at the Digital Impact Awards.
