The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

Agency: Karmarama
Client: The Army
Date: Jan 2020
Your Vote
4/5
Overall Rating
5/5
Opps, please vote again
7 votes

The British Army is looking to recruit young people with a campaign that shines a spotlight on what it says is the “unique and long-lasting sense of confidence” earned by signing up.

The ‘Confidence Lasts a Lifetime’ push contrasts the “quick hits” of confidence the army says are easily gained, and easily lost, in a modern world with the long-term boost it offers.

Developed by long-time ad agency Karmarama, the push follows on from 2019’s controversial, but ultimately successful, ‘Your Army Needs You’ campaign. Both initiatives are part of the Army’s wider ‘This Is Belonging’ series.

The TV spot at the heart of the new drive follows a metaphorical journey of a soldier who is confronted with distractions all offering a brief confidence lift – including a big night out, social media likes and the lure of fast fashion. He’s then interrupted with encouragement from a fellow soldier to demonstrate the alternative offered by the Army.

A further string of films and radio ads will hammer home the same concept. While a series of collage-style posters will challenge the promises of confidence surrounding young people.

One of the key reasons for taking this path to attract recruits is research undertaken in 2018 by The Prince’s Trust and Deloitte, which found that 54% of 16-to-25-year-olds believe a lack of self-confidence holds them back.

A further 46% said that comparing their lives to others on social media made them feel “inadequate”, while only one in four (24%) said their workplace offers adequate support in developing confidence.