A Celebration of Duty

Independent creative agency Hijinks Collective has worked with the Royal Navy to create ‘A Celebration of Duty’ – a new campaign to honour Royal Navy personnel and veterans who, through their sense of duty, give back to their local community every single day.

The new campaign reinforces the Royal Navy as a “force for good” and aims to connect a younger generation with it by platforming its work. Targeting a Gen Z and regional audience, it breaks one week after Remembrance Sunday, a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life, particularly in the Military.

To create the film, Hijinks worked hand in hand with the Royal Navy’s communications team, including its Photography and Video Unit (known as the Phots) and its graphics and campaigns teams. Working together since June on the project, they wrote, directed and edited the films using Hijinks’ unique ‘Creative Bubble’ method which involved them working together as one team.

The film features personal stories from seven Royal Navy personnel and veterans. One of those featured is Reservist Lieutenant Napper, who is also a research fellow, marine conservationist and National Geographic explorer and helped to influence the ban of microbeads in cosmetics with the aim of cleaning up our oceans from plastic pollution.

Also featured is a former Marine Captain, now known by his acting name Tip Cullen, who served in the Royal Marines for 30 years and now works closely with the Soldiers Arts Academy, ‘B22’ Royal British Legion and the 'Company of Makers' in Portsmouth – non-profit organisations giving serving and former military personnel a route into the arts.

Another is Colour Sergeant Beaton MBE (a.k.a. Commando Chef), who hosts free cooking classes up and down the country through which he helps educate young people about nutrition and against knife crime. His classes often feature his catchphrase: “Knives in the kitchen and not on the streets”.

The campaign will launch on November 18th as a ten-minute full screen takeover for the iconic Piccadilly Circus billboard, and will include cinema activity and other assets for OOH locations across the country.