Making one of Britain’s oldest institutions relevant to young people today is an ongoing challenge. And the Covid-19 crisis posed fresh challenges for Army recruitment. In a world seemingly shut down, many doubted the Army were still recruiting.

The task was to reinforce that the Army was still recruiting, and inspire the next generation of potential soldiers that the Army was a job for them.

How we helped

As the world responded to one of the biggest humanitarian crises in a generation, many young people reassessed their values, and a desire to make a difference peaked. The Army has always offered a job that really matters, and during Covid-19, this was clearer than ever. From distributing PPE to constructing Nightingale hospitals across the country, their role was a humble one, but one to be proud of.

The strategy was to inspire a generation looking for meaningful work by showcasing the Army’s crucial role in responding to the Covid-19 crisis, and the unexpected variety of roles they were recruiting for right now.

The animated film goes back to when Florence Nightingale first tended to soldiers in the Crimean War. And now the Army is repaying the favour, honouring her name, striving to support the NHS in any way it can. The film shows how the Army helped plan and build seven Nightingale hospitals at the start of the Covid-19 crisis.

What happened next

The creative decision was for the film to be largely animated, which also worked within production restrictions in place at the time, speed of production required, and budgetary constraints. This was meshed with live action footage shot by the Army themselves, documenting the varied work they carried out across TV, video on demand, and social channels.


The film is part of the wider 2020 campaign, which continues to deliver substantially higher applications year on year.

The film was featured in Marketing Week, The Drum, AdForum, LBB Online, and was awarded Ad of the Day on Campaign.

This work was very well received throughout Capita and the British Army, with it subsequently being showcased by Lieutenant General Tyrone Urch, Commander Home Command.