The Brief

Recruiting quality engineering candidates into the Royal Navy had always been tough but by 2009 the shortfall had become critical. Engineering finalists were incredibly sought-after by companies such as BAE Systems, Rolls Royce and even Procter & Gamble. The Royal Navy wasn’t even on the radar. Carat’s challenge was to reach an extremely niche audience with a complex message about why they should apply for a job they’d never even considered.

The Solution

Carat identified engineering finalists’ priorities for their ideal first job. By interviewing serving engineer officers we discovered how the Navy could match or exceed their expectations.

Our audience’s media consumption was limited, but they fully embraced technology. They owned the latest handsets and games consoles, loved multi-player games on the internet as well as regularly downloading games, videos and apps to their mobile phones.

We needed communications that showcased the Navy’s technology credentials as well as allowing interested candidates to register their interest right there and then. It was clear only a high-end digital experience would deliver. Our idea was to create a game – the Royal Navy “Engineer Officer Challenge” – and then exploit it using mobile and social media.

Ten Royal Navy Engineers helped generate compelling real-life scenarios. The “Engineer Officer Challenge” set five interactive challenges aboard HMS Dangerous. Users had to make the critical decisions that Navy engineers face in real life, tasks such as fixing the engine, launching a missile attack or re-wiring the radar system.

After each task, players saw a video showing the consequences of their choices. Their final score appeared on a leaderboard with links to the main Navy website. Carat chose Facebook and iPhone to host the Challenge as both platforms allowed us to drive people directly to an online application form. Uptake was driven through digital display, promotion in the iPhone App store and online PR in the likes of Wired, Navynet and Recruiter. We also installed the Challenge in the Navy’s outreach vehicles, which visited selected universities during the Graduate Milk Round.