Our Thinking

Latest Articles

From original research and industry commentary to campaign insights and creative thinking, discover the ideas, evidence and experiences shaping effective communication today.

Young Army recruits taking part in resilience training at the Army Training Centre Pirbright.

Can Military Service Solve the NEETs Crisis?

Can military service help address the UK’s growing NEET crisis? We explore what the data tells us about young people, mental health and what Defence can teach us about structure, purpose and belonging. Image: UK MOD © Crown copyright 2024

READ MORE
Video Producer Leon Leenders films an RAF engineer during a Specialist Recruitment project. The image accompanies an article exploring the creative process behind producing authentic recruitment films.

Filming with Intention

What does it really take to create recruitment films that connect with people? One of our video producers shares the thinking behind an RAF Specialist Recruitment project, exploring the planning, storytelling and creative decisions behind six films created across the UK and Cyprus.

READ MORE
BFBS Creative banner for Responsible Storytelling, featuring Lindsay MacDuff with members of the Force Atlantic team during a recording of The Culture Colonel podcast.

Responsible Storytelling: What It Takes to Get It Right

What does responsible storytelling look like in practice? Explore how trust, psychological safety, preparation and care can help communicators handle people’s stories responsibly.

READ MORE
BFBS Creative banner featuring the headline "Looking Beyond Screen Time" and the subtitle "What children's digital behaviour tells us". In the background, a child wearing an orange top holds and uses a smartphone while seated indoors.

Will the UK’s Under-16 Social Media Ban Change Children’s Behaviour?

Will the planned UK under-16 social media ban change children’s behaviour? Screen time only tells part of the story. Explore what children’s digital activity reveals about their motivations, needs and online lives.

READ MORE
Two people sit facing each other in conversation in a softly lit room, silhouetted against a large window overlooking a blurred cityscape.

Before the Story

Trauma-informed interviewing starts before the first question is asked. Explore how safety, meaningful consent, choice and care can help people feel respected and in control when sharing difficult or deeply personal experiences.

READ MORE
A close-up of a British Armed Forces uniform with a Union Flag shoulder patch forms the background to a BFBS Creative thought leadership graphic. The headline reads: "Kit Makes the Headlines. People Make the Capability." The subheading reads: "The real test of the Defence Investment Plan."

Kit Makes The Headlines. People Make The Capability.

The Defence Investment Plan promises major investment in military capability, but equipment alone doesn't deliver advantage. We explore why recruitment, retention and the lived experience of service are just as critical to the future of UK defence.

READ MORE
Page 1 of 9

Research reports & resources

Insights in Brief

The research is only the beginning.

Discover the ideas and insights shaping how organisations understand audiences and communicate more effectively, and explore what they could mean for your own organisation.
 

Podcasts & series

Explore BFBS Creative's podcasts and original series, featuring conversations, stories and perspectives from across Defence and beyond.

The Culture Colonel podcast artwork featuring an illustrated portrait of host Lindsay MacDuff.

The Culture Colonel

Exploring what leadership really looks like in the Armed Forces and beyond. The Culture Colonel brings together leaders from different backgrounds to share their experiences, challenge assumptions and explore what it takes to lead people well.

Explore the conversations

   

Tea & Medals series artwork featuring an illustrated mug of tea alongside military medals.

Tea & Medals

Behind every military honour is a human story. Tea & Medals goes beyond the citation to hear from the people who were there, revealing the decisions, danger and extraordinary acts behind some of the UK's highest military honours.

Discover the stories behind the medals

  

Near Death series artwork showing a lone figure walking towards a bright light, with a heartbeat line across the image.

Near Death

What happens when you come face-to-face with death and survive? Near Death tells remarkable first-hand stories of people brought back from the brink, exploring not only what happened, but what it means to live through something that could have ended very differently.

Hear the stories of survival