A new campaign from The Royal British Legion (RBL) spotlights the invisible, psychological scars of combat to call for more protection for service personnel and veterans. The campaign, which was created with the help of Leagas Delaney, has been created to help raise money during the Poppy Appeal.

An emotive campaign video spotlights that no matter what physical protection military personnel are armed with, very little can be done to protect against the mental health impact of war. Even the most advanced military equipment cannot protect against psychological scars. However, with help from funds raised during the Poppy Appeal, RBL can provide support. 

The impactful film shows a soldier taking off their protective gear as a voiceover underlines how each piece of equipment is useless in emotional and mental protection. As the voiceover explains: “The Ballistic Glasses don’t protect against nightmares. The Kevlar Helmet doesn’t shield against panic attacks.” 

As the soldier sheds his protective armour the audiences are reminded of the person underneath the uniform. The spot ends by telling audiences: “The Royal British Legion is here for those who served.” The final call to action is toward donations for the Poppy Appeal, to help the RBL to support personnel and veterans in need of support.

The campaign will run across multiple channels over the Remembrance period. Media planning and buying was handled by Bicycle.

As well as the central campaign film, digital out of home and online content further build the story. In online films, three veterans share their experiences of the ways RBL have helped them after their time in the military. They also discuss the positive impact of seeing the general public wear a poppy during the remembrance period. 

“Many of those who serve in the British Armed Forces and their families are not significantly impacted by their experiences. But for others, what they experience during their time in service can understandably leave mental scars that affect them at different points in their life, and that’s why the Royal British Legion exists,” says  Rebecca Warren, Director, Marketing and Communications, the Royal British Legion.

She continues: “With the combination of Leagas Delaney’s creative and Bicycle’s media planning, we hope this year’s campaign will build greater affinity for the cause within our target audiences and an understanding that donating for a poppy helps us continue our vital work.”