The latest phase of Capita’s “You Belong Here” recruitment campaign for the British Army launched with a striking anamorphic 3D OOH advertisement at seven locations around Britain, including Glasgow, Nottingham, Manchester and Westfield Stratford City ‘Four Dials’. It featured an animated version of England heavyweight boxing champion and Grenadier Guard LSgt Natty Ngwenya, and depicts a dramatic scenario that British Army personnel find themselves in from a first-person perspective.
“You Belong Here” talks directly to young people by showing that there is a place for them within the British Army and to challenge their misconceptions that they would not fit in. Research uncovered young Brits share similar values with the Army of respect, working hard, fun and being helpful. The campaign creative puts potential recruits in the heart of dramatic scenarios and the viewer invited to make decisions about what to do next.
Created by Ocean Labs’ real-time 3D creation tool for photoreal visuals and immersive experiences, the advertisement depicts a group of soldiers delivering aid and support in intense hurricane conditions, demonstrating a scene which aligns with the ‘being helpful’ value that young people hold. As the story unfolds, LSgt Natty Ngwenya, Infantry and Section Commander of the Grenadier Guards, is seen running to the foreground then leaning out from the screen and beckoning passersby to get involved and help. The creative also takes advantage of Ocean’s DeepScreen® ALIVE technology, which in this case allows the ad to live update and match the time of day in the animation as it changes in real life.
Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Bingham said: “This year’s recruitment campaign was designed to speak directly to young people and strived to put them into typical Army situations. In a first for the British Army, we are using this incredible 3D OOH DeepScreen ALIVE technology to immerse people into one of the many scenarios that our soldiers can find themselves, and encourage them to consider the British Army as a career.”
LSgt Natty Ngwenya, Infantry and Section Commander of the Grenadier Guards, star of the advertisement, added: “Joining the British Army was one of the best decisions of my life and its important to me to be able to share the many unique opportunities that being a soldier can offer. I’ve had incredible experiences during my career but being part of this campaign and being captured in such an authentic setting in this animation is certainly another highlight.”
Brought up in Thamesmead, South-East London, LSgt Ngwenya joined the Grenadier Guards in 2009, aged 19. He has since enjoyed a meteoric rise as a heavyweight boxer, joining the Army team in 2014, going on to represent England multiple times and winning the GB Championship three times.
“I was always competitive as a kid and that’s what drew me to the Army,” said LSgt Ngwenya. ”I never knew, for example, about the sporting opportunities. I’ve achieved so much and never looked back. There’s so much more to the Army than meets the eye.”
The advert was planned and produced by Capita and Posterscope for the British Army. It was created by Ocean Outdoor and Accenture Song.