British Army - You Belong Here
The latest phase of the British Army’s “You Belong Here” recruitment campaign came to life on 26 and 27 December, building on Ocean Outdoor’s pioneering use of striking anamorphic 3D OOH. It was (a)live at seven locations around Britain, including Glasgow, Nottingham, Manchester, and London’s Westfield Stratford City. The star of the show was an animated version of England heavyweight boxing champion and Grenadier Guard LSgt Natty Ngwenya, depicted alongside his fellow soldiers delivering aid and support in the aftermath of a hurricane.
“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. Earlier research uncovered young Brits share similar values with the Army of respect, working hard, fun and being helpful. The campaign puts potential recruits in the heart of dramatic scenarios and the viewer is invited to make decisions about what to do next. The OOH creative demonstrated a scenario which aligns with the ‘being helpful’ value that young people hold, whilst reiterating that there is more to the Army than meets the eye.
The why
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.”
How it was brought to life
Created using Ocean's patented real-time 3D anamorphic system - which uses a mix of cutting-edge software and custom hardware - DeepScreen Alive allows photoreal 3D visuals to react in real-time, creating an immersive consumer experience
Ocean Studio worked closely with creative agency, Accenture Song and the client to bring to life the desired narrative whilst leveraging the 3D technology to best effect, using Generative AI image tools to quickly iterate concepts
The Army strictly insisted all elements be 100% correct and realistic to the situation - which started with the lead character. To bring Grenadier Guard LSgt Natty Ngwenya into the 3D engine, a digital double was created by scanning him in uniform using an array of hundreds of cameras. This captured both textures and 3D geometry using a process called photogrammetry, ensuring his face and uniform were recreated in precise detail. Natty also provided the motion capture performance himself, making his movements and performance totally accurate and believable
The scene of hurricane aftermath was meticulously created in Unreal Engine and spread hundreds of metres into the distance. Damaged buildings, cars, infrastructure, and trees were added to simulate the disaster, along with soldiers' tents and army equipment - including a Wildcat helicopter
Real-time weather effects were added, blowing branches and debris around the scene. At Four Dials, Ocean’s Westfield Stratford location, the lighting mirrored the sun's position in relation to the screen, so the light and shadows matched during the 6 hours of the display, getting darker as the sun set in real life.
The impact
This nationwide domination campaign delivered 3,125,375 adult impacts across the two days, with over 1.37m at the Manchester Arndale location alone.
We are an independent, British company offering unique, impactful and interactive Digital out of home advertising spaces. We practice ‘The Art of Outdoor’ by creating inspirational new experiences for today’s aspirational brands.
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