THE DEFENCE LENS

TitleTHE DEFENCE LENS
BrandTHE SWEDISH DEFENCE RECRUITMENT AGENCY
Product/ServiceTHE DEFENCE LENS
Category A07. Not-for-profit / Charity / Governemt
Entrant REKRYTERINGSMYNDIGHETEN Karlstad, SWEDEN
Idea Creation FAMILJENPANGEA Stockholm, SWEDEN
Media Placement ALL RISE MEDIA Stockholm, SWEDEN
PR BALODIS PR, SWEDEN
Production DVA Stockholm, SWEDEN
Credits
Name Company Position
Frida Vindblad von Walter Familjen Client Director
Karolina Strömgren Familjen Account Manager
Mats Eriksson Familjen Strategist
Jonas Bäckman Familjen Design Director
Johan Helander Familjen Creative Director
Patricia Miodek Familjen Art Director
Lia Merkel Familjen Copywriter
Henrik Berglund Familjen Digital Producer
Jessica Thorelius DVA Studio Account Director
Johan Anstérus DVA Studio Producer
Maurice Carlberg DVA Studio Art Director
Thomas Söderlund DVA Studio Technical Director
Lotta Balodis Balodis PR PR Director
Liza Skoglund Balodis PR PR Director
Maxwell Stanford All Rise Media Account Manager

Why is this work relevant for Direct?

The Defence Lens challenged the image of traditional PSAs, and created a campaign that hundreds of thousands young people wanted to be a part of. An innovative campaign that builds relationships – in augmented reality on Snapchat – between the Swedish Defence Recruitment Agency and young Swedes.

Background

Half of Sweden’s 18-year olds are familiar with the national military service, and the duties it entails. The levels of knowledge of the assessment process and of conscription is generally low. Swedish teenagers experience high levels of stress, and for many, the assessment adds to the pressure. Many potential recruits arrive at assessment unprepared. This leads to staff having to spend time on distributing information that should already be familiar to the recruits, which slows down the work of the Defence Recruitment Agency. How can the Defence Recruitment Agency increase awareness of conscription and the assessment process, and make it fun and interesting? And how does the agency reach a young, stressed audience, which is targeted by thousands of messages and live their lives on their phones?

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

By creating The Defence Lens, the Swedish Defence Recruitment Agency became the first government agency in Europe to communicate via a Snapchat lens. It disrupted the perception of government agencies’ communications, and became the first time in history that hundreds of thousands of young people sampled the military assessment process with Augmented Reality.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

According to Sifo Research International, only 50% of Sweden’s 18-year olds are familiar with the national military service, and the duties it entails. Swedish teenagers experience high levels of stress, and for many, the assessment adds to the pressure. We gathered stories from the agencies’ staff, they described a situation where many potential recruits arrived at assessment unprepared. Our strategy was to reach the young audience in a way they didn’t expect from a Government agency, in digital environment where they enjoy spending time: Snapchat (used by 90% of Swedish 18 year-olds). Our goal was to simplify the experience and increase awareness among Swedish 18 year-olds of their duties to the national military service; to register and go through the assessment process, as well as complete basic military training. We also needed to clarify what conscription entails, and illustrate the assessment process in a way that attracts the target group.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

By creating an augmented reality lens in Snapchat, we made it easy to see what the assessment process entails. We developed The Defence Lens, and made it available in the Snapchat carousel for the target audience during one week, which meant that they didn’t have to look for it – it was readily available as they opened Snapchat. The lens enables users to experience the assessment process in AR: They meet the psychologist, participate in the physical testing etc. After completing, there are in-app rewards, which contributes to the readiness to go through the process IRL. The lens is more than an opportunity to inform the target audience of their duties, and visualize the experience. It also made Swedish teenagers the first in the world to sample the assessment process in AR, and the Defence Recruitment Agency became the first government agency in Europe to distribute information via an ARlens.

List the results (30% of vote)

We challenged the image of traditional PSAs, and created a campaign that hundreds of thousands wanted to be a part of. The lens was opened 884,000 times. Users spent an average of 30 seconds in the lens (45% more than the average). Which amounts to 289 consecutive days. The lens simplified an experience that had been associated with anxiety and worries. We made it fun to sample the assessment process in a digital environment. Now, more people feel ready to go through the process: 95% of Sweden’s 18 year-olds are now aware that the Government has re-activated conscription (increase of 4%). 98% of Sweden’s 18 year-olds are now aware that they have to submit an assessment form (increase of 55%). 87% of Sweden’s 18 year-olds are now aware that they have to go through assessment (increase of 58%). PR: 60 pieces in national outlets such as Swedish radio and television.