LONDON, UK — A little-known aspect of the Royal Air Force’s remit, the emerging field of space protection, is highlighted in a dramatic new recruitment campaign by the creative collective House 337.
The campaign aims to make young people aware that there is a wide range of professions that can be pursued within the RAF – all of them playing a vital role in forming the team that protects us from unexpected threats.
House 337’s epic 60-second film entitled The Force Protecting Space went live on Saturday, July 08, during the much-anticipated Formula 1 international racing competition. It’s set to run for three months. It features real personnel throughout and a visual rawness that conveys the excitement and energy of a career in the RAF – especially given its emerging role in space defense.
Alongside the TV, OLV, and Digital running in the UK, House 337 has created striking OOH and social creative that invites people to discover more about “the force protecting space,” using a dramatic art direction style in the RAF colors of red and blue to continue the cinematic, almost futuristic, aesthetic.
The hero film opens on a scene that could have come straight out of a tense blockbuster thriller – a high-tech control room where a team monitors the UK’s assets in space. Their leader is conveying urgent information to her other team members about a potential satellite collision with space debris.
We then see how the rest of the RAF deal with their own high-pressure situations. From the logistics teams on the ground loading up humanitarian aid to the medics monitoring a pilot fitness test to the chefs who feed them all, along with the pilots themselves flying a time-sensitive mission. All of these stories unfold to the overarching sound of a countdown, as the time is running out for Space Command to avert a potential collision.
Their skills and backgrounds are diverse, but everyone on the force has the satisfaction of knowing they’re part of a team responsible for keeping vital services online. This is demonstrated at the dramatic climax of the ad, where RAF jets clear the airspace, and the leader in Space Command successfully moves a satellite away from a potential collision.
“It takes the whole force to protect space,” the voiceover said. “Join us.” Viewers are then urged to find their force by searching RAF recruitment.
Tracey Broome, Wing Commander at the Royal Air Force, said, “The new creative for Royal Air Force Recruitment features our own service personnel who have cutting-edge technology at their fingertips, with a strong focus on the increasing role the RAF plays in protecting space, House 337 has created a message which will resonate with our target audience.”
Christopher Ringsell, Creative Director at House 337, said, “’Per Ardua Ad Astra’ – Through adversity to the stars. This is the motto that has served the RAF since it was formed in 1918.”
“Never has this motto been more relevant than in the modern, future-facing RAF and their growing remit to protect Space. But protecting air and space isn’t just down to the Pilots or UK Space Command, it takes a huge, combined effort from everyone. The people in the RAF really are the beating heart of the force and we want this campaign to give you a real feeling for how these roles and individual stories play out and overlap to complete tasks at hand for the greater good of the force, whatever the situation might be,” Christopher furthered.
Credits:
Executive Creative Director Jo Moore
Creative Director Christopher Ringsell
Art Director Jack Tibbs
Copywriter Michael Arthey
Visual Design Creative Director: PK
Chief Strategy Officer Matt Rhodes
Strategy Director Simon Butcher
Head of Account Management Richard Williams
Account Director Olivia Conroy
Account Manager Kelly Mahon
Project Director Cathy Buchanan
Agency Senior Producer Tash Dean
Production Co Stink Films
Director Tom Green
Production Co MD Andrew Levene
Exec Producer Blake Powell
Producer Sara Nouman
Production Manager Alice Evans
Production Assistant Thomas Bergman
Location Manager Mike Baldock
1st AD Justin Travers
2nd AD Ellysha Elgon-smith
Runner Joe Heap
DoP Joe Cook
Focus Puller Alasdair Baines
2nd AC Ernie Griffiths
Video Playback Natasha Farrar
DIT Leon Murphy
Sound Recordist Daniel Brosnan
Tracking Vehicle Head Tech Jody St John White
Crane Tech Tim Dean
2nd Grip Johnny Donne
Trainee Drivers Miles Young, Connor Hartdige
Bickers Ben Kerry
B-Unit DOP Alistair King
B-Unit Focus Puller Lawrence Beckwith
Gaffer Ben Millar
Electricians Mark Leeming, Joey Rogers, Bruce Melhuish
Production Designer Bobbie Cousins
Prop Stylist Frederika Hodgkinson
Prop Master Simon Morrissey
Props Transport Samuel Noble
Casting Director Claire Curry
Medic Lee Tait
Edit Trim
Editor James Forbes Robertson
Edit Producer Pia Ebrill
Post Production Time Based Arts
Post CD James Allen, Mike Skrgatic
Post Producer Tom Manton
Post-shoot Supervisor Pete Smith
2D Lead Sheldon Gardner
2D Artists Gary Driver, James Pratt, Jack Stone, Giles Hicks, Olivia O’Neil, Ralph Briscoe
3D Lead Ian Baird
3D Artists Maxime Ponsart, Daniel Kmet, Joe Ibbett, Ihor Obukhovskyi, Ogi Vukovic, Oliver Lemery, Jordan Coles
Digital Matte Painting Lee Matthews
Colourist Simone Grattarola, Max Ferguson Hook
Sound House Sine
Sound Design Phil Bolland
Sound Producer Julian Marshall
Composer Walter Mair
OOH & Social
Photographer Rick Guest
Digital Operator Zoe Salt
Photo Assistant Frankie Lodge
Producer Hermione Russell
Production Assistant Emma Sweeney
DoP Ollie Dahmen
1st AC Tom Clapson
Gaffer Richard Scott
Desk Op Eddie Cook
DIT Elliott Chyi
Grip Ed Livesey
Stylist Lucy Walker
Groomer Julie Thomas
Groomer Assistant Angele Hersant
Media planning Wavemaker
Media buying MG OMD
