'To Sea or not to Sea' Video
Careers at Sea
National
Success achieved
Launch a brand new video to promote careers within the Merchant Navy
- Website
- http://www.careersatsea.org
- Project dates
- July - September 2017
Project team
Fena Boyle, Training and Careers Manager, Coordinator of Careers at Sea initiative
Tools & Systems
The technical tools used when producing this film were determined by the production company and the level of understanding we have on this is limited. However, Careers at Sea were able to provide a huge range of props and realistic tools to help bring the film to life. Maersk very kindly let us use their vessel, ‘Ebba Maersk’, to film on.
We used equipment from the navigational bridge and the engine room as well as social areas on the vessel to present a well-rounded view of shipboard life. These tools helped us show the transferrable skills from playing a computer game as a teenager, to working with high tech equipment on a bridge.
The seafarer roles in the film were played by real seafarers in the form of our ‘Careers at Sea Ambassadors’ who were able to provide a realistic element and depict a proper career at sea. They were available at short notice which was a benefit to the tight schedule we experienced with the filming.
Introduction
The maritime industry sticks to what it knows, and now is the perfect time to disrupt how things are done and move the industry forward. Our video has done that and the industry is taking notice.
‘Careers at Sea’ is the national promotional brand for careers in the Merchant Navy throughout the UK. Set up by the Merchant Navy Training Board, ‘Careers at Sea’ provides unbiased and useful information to young people considering a career in the Merchant Navy detailing the entry routes, progression and pathways individuals can take upon entering this career. This year, with the introduction of the apprenticeship levy, more opportunities became available to young people and shipping companies asked for a plan to combat this and increase the number of entrants to the Merchant Navy.
A career at sea is open to most people within the UK, minimum qualifications dependent, and so the target audience for the film is those with an interest in the sea, but more importantly those who have no idea of the opportunities available to them within the Merchant Navy and no exposure to the sea.
Using social media platforms we aim to target different age groups, genders, races and backgrounds to engage with as many people as possible. An entire strategy is being developed to ensure this film is used as effectively as possible and is engaging with groups that normally would not see a film about a career at sea.
Discovery
With the introduction of the apprenticeship levy, the increase in available apprenticeships and more opportunities for young people, recruitment has proved more difficult than normal for some shipping companies this year. As the promotional brand for the industry, it is our job to listen to the concerns of the industry and act upon them.
Building on an existing relationship between our parent organisation the UK Chamber of Shipping and ITN Productions, we discussed ways which we could help. The creative minds at ITN proposed a number of concepts and ‘To Sea or Not to Sea’ was chosen as this is the question most people ask themselves before considering a career at sea.
Research by various sources confirms that children make their minds up about careers much earlier than first thought. As this is a social media campaign, we researched the target audience and aimed this video at 13-17 years olds as they are choosing their future paths.
The content strategy we are using is a living document and will be revised regularly to ensure that we are targeting the correct audience at relevant times throughout the year i.e. GCSE selection time.
The approach was fast paced with an initial brief provided to the creators for their input with an expected delivery date of eight weeks later. The activities, tools and techniques used were decided by the production company as they have the expertise to deliver this film.
Objectives
The main objective of this film is to attract a new generation of inspired and appropriately qualified people into careers at sea. We are focusing especially on females and electro-technical and engineering roles.
We aim to team up with the Sea Cadets and ensure this video is made available to their Marine Engineering Pathway Pods which tour around the country attending schools to introduce marine engineering to children. We aim for this video to be shown at the schools that our Careers at Sea Ambassadors attend and for it to be shown at two large national careers fairs over the next twelve months.
Activities
It has been long overdue that the shipping industry changes the way in which in communicates with young audiences and thanks to a well-established partnership between the UK Chamber of Shipping and ITN Productions, the initial concept of a promotional film was discussed. The MNTB, as the driving force behind the ‘careers at Sea’ brand were able to work with both parties to develop a new, emotive and inspiring film to encourage a new generation of seafarers. The film took less than three months to develop from the first meeting to the final launch date and proved to have a number of challenges, including people to star in the film, logistics of ship and film crew etc.
The development of this film was left to ITN Productions and all elements were signed off by the MNTB. The film took two days to film, day one using the child stars and day two on board the vessel with our adult ‘heroes’. Both says lasted approximately 14 hours, with 12 of those being filming hours.
Innovation
The main innovative feature of this film is the disruptive nature in which it has answered the industry’s concerns and the way in which we are now using it to engage with an audience that we have never spoken to before, both at child and influencer level. The street rap in the video was created purely for this reason and perfectly describes the variation of the career as well as the flexible entry routes in whilst demonstrating the progression and roles available onboard. This rap will connect with an audience that the shipping industry has not been able to connect with on this level before.
Marketing
A detailed strategy document is being developed to ensure maximum effectiveness of this video in the short, medium and long term, covering a time period of over eighteen months. This strategy will be revised and amended to identify items working effectively as well as areas for improvement. As the film is used and distributed, there may be more opportunities to develop its use further and by using a living document that we can adapt to incorporate these ideas.
The strategy covers social media platforms and advertising opportunities on them with detailed audience targeting options. In addition to this, the strategy also allows for collaboration with schools, industry partners and potential inclusion in national careers fairs. Mailing list options have been researched in order to get the film directly to careers advisers and teachers as well as developing printed materials and articles in relevant publications. Initially this film will be used on social media targeting children aged 13-17, which in the first instance has worked, as 62% of the people who watched it were girls.
Anticipation was built up by us, and our parent company the UK Chamber of Shipping, in the run up to the launch of the video, but as the turnaround was so quick with a tight deadline a full launch strategy was unachievable and so most of the work will be done post launch.
Challenges
There were three main challenges associated with this film.
- Firstly, the timescale to complete the production was extremely tight and did not allow for changes in ship schedules or flexibility of actors.
- The second challenge was to manage the logistics of the film shoot with the schedule of the ship. Any delays in the transit of the ship would have halted the shooting of the film and set the whole project back by a few days.
- The final challenge we are experiencing with this video is that ‘Careers at Sea’ is a relatively unheard of brand outside of the shipping industry and in order to get the results we need from it, we have to make sure it reaches, and interests, an audience we have struggled to engage with before.
Achievements
The successful launch of the video enabled us to deliver on time during London International Shipping Week (12th September 2017). The film was a secret from the rest of industry until its launch so that they could feel the whole impact. We achieved our objective of producing a high quality film that answered the needs of the industry. We gained this positive feedback from them during that launch event.
Twitter - statistics
We are now able to implement our strategic plan and will focus on delivering this film with maximum effect.
So far we are pleased to report that, to date, all of our objectives have been met, but we have not yet started to implement our strategic plan as it is still under initial development.
The “street rap” in the film was created to provide an emotive element which allows the user to engage with the messages. It illustrates the fact that this career is open to people of varying abilities and backgrounds and of both genders. Emotive-thinking elements of creating films is new way of engaging with an audience and certainly not something the shipping industry has used. The user experience for young people should be engaging and for the shipping industry new and innovative.
Hashtags were included on the end of the film and in all promotion on social media to provide one cohesive, accessible message. This should make the user experience easier than previous attempts of interaction with this audience before. We are able to use this video on all social media platforms and currently it is on LinkedIn, for influencers of children (such as parents and teachers) and Facebook and Twitter for our target audiences.
We are able to track the success of this experience with analytics, hits to the website, number of views of the video and our increased engagement levels on social media.
Targets & Statistics
In the first month after the launch of this video nearly 40,000 people viewed it on numerous platform. As the strategic plan is put in place, we will be able to monitor the statistics received from the video and amend the plan as necessary to make it as effective as possible. Our target is to communicate to a new audience and encourage a new generation of seafarers to join the industry.
Financials
In order to fund this video a request was submitted to the maritime charity Maritime Educational Foundation. The MEF agreed to fund this film as it meets one of their charitable objectives aimed at the recruitment of seafarers. This enabled the film to be created and produced with ITN Productions.
Careers at Sea is a not for profit promotional brand and so this video would not expect a financial return on investment. However, as a resource for the recruitment of future seafarers the return on investment for the industry will be significant.
The prospect of shipping companies assisting with monetary funds to distribute this film will ensure a more qualified, enthusiastic and skilled workforce will be acquired. To the Careers at Sea Ambassadors, this film is valuable in helping to reach out to a young audience and providing a snapshot overview of a career at sea. The value for money is immeasurable: the film brings the sea to their classrooms.
The value the film has added to the membership of the Ambassador programme is vast. It provides a platform Ambassadors have not had before and encourages more people to get involved – the three main roles in the film were played by Ambassadors.
What would we do differently?
If we were doing this project again, we would aim to have a longer timescale and prepare a strategy for the initial three months after launch to give us some breathing space and keep momentum in the film.
Feedback & Testimonials
This feedback has been sought from Twitter and can be found on @careersatsea and @ukshipping:
“Brilliant video!”
@Intellect82
“Great to see former Deck Cadet Oliver Bates star in this fantastic initiative from @ukshipping & @mntbuk?”
@NLFerries
“It was so much fun being part of this. Pleasure to promote #careersatsea - Amazing career full of life changing opportunities.”
@GrahamPFisher
“Cracking video about #CareersAtSea from @UKShipping. Wish I was 17 again...”
@Mazzad
“@ukshipping - #careersatsea - genuinely fantastic; this generation must inspire the next.”
@BurgessMarine
“"World leading tech at my fingertips" - This film is BRILLIANT and precisely what makes #careersatsea a great career choice!”
@CargoMateUK
“We love this #careersatsea video! Inspiring for young people looking for a rewarding career.”
@warsashacademy
Wider impact
The film is modern and a new direction for the MNTB’s promotion activity through Careers at Sea. The members of industry that have seen it have been enthusiastic and are prepared to use it as a recruitment tool in the coming years.
Careers at Sea showcased a young and approachable demeanor for people to consider this career on an emotional level and we aim to promote this as much as possible.
Our Careers at Sea Ambassadors are thrilled with the film and use it in schools to back up their own experiences and presentations. They believe the film encourages more Ambassadors both through the positive messages it provides and the fact that Ambassadors were used in it, promoting their personal position within the industry.
