One in four children in the UK leave school without being able to swim 25 meters. “It is a horrendous stat and one that is even more inflated if you come from an economically underprivileged or ethnically diverse background” says Kev McFadyen, Global Brand Director at Speedo. And, the insight weighs even more heavily when underpinned by the fact that drowning is the 3rd biggest cause of accidental death in the UK; one of the major reasons why Speedo has launched its latest campaign ‘Swim United’ in an attempt to democratise swimming, making it more accessible for all.

The Swim United campaign has been created in partnership with Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) and with the support of the Black Swimming Association (BSA) and is a long-term commitment developed in a response to research from Sport England and the BSA which found that children from marginalised communities and minority groups are at a disadvantage when it comes to learning to swim at primary school.

The launch is accompanied by a video content series and social campaign, ‘Swim Stories’ which celebrates the joy of swimming, as experienced by three real families not typically represented in the swimming community. Three ‘Swim Stories’ have been created by Livity, and directed by award-winning director Jess Kohl, PRETTYBIRD where audiences see parents open up about the challenges they have had to overcome to learn how to swim, and how they are empowering their children to find their own joy in the water.

Authentic representation

“While we were horrified by the stats we knew that there were a number of cultural and societal elements driving them,” said McFayden, “we needed a partner who could connect with communities in an authentic way and Livity is unrivalled in this respect.”

Rani Patel is Director of Cultural Collaborations at Livity and “worked with Kev and his team to understand the cultures we are trying to connect with at a deeper level and understand the nuances” she says.

The audience that the Swim United team was aiming to reach was extremely broad but also nuanced. Patel explained that “when we talk about cultural differences there’s a number of things that come into that; Race is key, religion too and a number of other intersecting characteristics come together to form different identities whether it’s being part of the LGBT community, whether it's being a single-parent family or whatever socioeconomic layers that come into it.” And the team was aiming to create a campaign that would appeal to all these different communities.

“Area and access also play a key role to limitations to swimming. When we talk about cultural nuances, intersection is really key” added Patel. As, when it comes to swimming “barriers to entry start way earlier on than when you’re near a pool. It starts at home when you’re thinking about going.” She points to the idea that those raised in religious households may face generational barriers too or have worries when it comes to swimming attire.

With Swim Stories, the team aimed to highlight three different yet relatable personal accounts to show that swimming can and should be for everyone.

Audiences are introduced to Remi; a mother of Caribbean descent who reflects on the uniqueness of a childhood spent swimming at Brixton’s leisure centre and the joy of passing on that love of swimming to her daughter. Cathy; a single mother to two young children, all three of whom were born with dwarfism, where the pool allows them to appreciate moments of physical connection due to the buoyancy of the water. And, Niran; a father whose Keralan ancestry didn’t prioritise swimming, who is overcoming his own fear of swimming by sharing in his daughter’s joy of the water every weekend at their local pool.

“Each relationship with the water varies from story to story but we wanted to show that everyone is welcome in the water; there’s joy for everyone there” explained McFadyen

To engage people in the most authentic way possible, beyond the three Swim Stories Livity looked “deeper to engage different communities such as LGBTQI mums, Muslim women or communities getting more disabilities children swimming. These communities were able to amplify the message further to see deeper engagement.” added Patel.

Driving meaningful change

“As Speedo is one of the leading swim brands in the world we felt a responsibility to try and combat the systemic and cultural issues driving the statistics,” added McFadyen. “The first component to this campaign is grassroots action; investing money into learn to swim programs to teach kids that have been left behind by the system.”

To help affect real change, Speedo is engaging in both tangible action at a school and community level, as well as aiming to spark a wider dialogue about the cultural, financial and systemic barriers that keep many children at the water’s edge.

Through the Swim United programme, Speedo will engage 35 schools across London’s most socially and economically disadvantaged areas, reigniting children’s interest in swimming through activity packs and providing intensive two-week swimming courses for 1,200 students, with the overarching aim of making swimming more equitable.

“As the campaign develops we want the next step to be partnering with other organisations to connect with government to improve the way the government responds to this drowning epidemic,” explained McFadyen. “While we’re lucky to have swimming on the national curriculum in the UK it's not currently measured by Ofsted; children are getting left behind. We want to push forward conversations around that and tailor this conversation to different markets.”

Place for purpose

When considering the motivations of purpose and inclusivity behind the campaign, Patel comments that “inclusivity was intrinsic. It was just expected and a part of how we went about it. Inclusivity shouldn’t have its own D&I box, it should be a part of it all.”

While the campaign is purposeful at the core, McFadyen explained that “throughout history, Speedo has driven swim culture to be it from Clare Dennis’ first wearing a racer-back suit to the first mastectomy costume and when we look at what needs to be done in swim culture now; it's making everyone feel welcome in the water.”

For those aiming to make a real impactful difference, purpose cannot be an afterthought. For the likes of Speedo, engaging in meaningful conversation within its category, driving forward wider societal change and pushing forward conversations has seen more people engage with the brand, solidifying its position in culture and setting it apart as a leader in its category.