The Challenge

The RNLI approached us to create a new campaign to work alongside the RNLI Beach Finder mobile app that would change established behaviours of the chosen demographic. The challange was to influence the target audience’s behaviour before going to the beach, so they would check to locate a lifeguarded beach via the mobile app. The RNLI wanted to alter the audience’s preconceived negative stereotypical ideas about Lifeguards and their role on UK beaches. The RNLI are a well-established brand, With this campaign they wanted Brandwave to communicate something innovative and fresh to recapture the public’s interest.

The Result

The ‘Don’t Forget to Pack the Lifeguard’ was an ambitious campaign using humour to convey a serious message, so as not to alienate the audience, or discourage them from visiting the beach. The campaign creative and videos used real lifeguards and families, to create an authentic feeling that our target demographic could relate to. Humorous hyper-realistic imagery and videos, illustrated that lifeguards are a necessary piece of beach equipment. Online channels were used such as adverts and banners on weather, tourism and transport sites; driving the campaign digitally to maximise online channels when the weather reached over 15°C. Print items were supplied to service stations in the south where the greatest number of young families heading to the beach would visit.