The British Army has unveiled its latest recruitment campaign after struggling to get new recruits through the door last year. The campaign 'Your Army Needs You' is comprised of a series of posters and video and radio adverts and has been designed to show the Army looks beyond young stereotypes and "sees people differently" and recognises their "need for a bigger sense of purpose", according to British Army Major General Paul Nanson.

It is the third campaign of the 'This is Belonging' series, showing the essential skills needed in Army recruits, such as compassion, self-belief and focus. The Army came under criticism by some commentators last year for adverts which aimed to emphasise the diversity of the armed forces. Negative feedback to the adverts centred around the opinion that they were too 'politically correct'. In the first quarter of 2018, the outsourcing company Capita brought in fewer than one in 10 of the recruits needed by the Army. Speaking in October, the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff, Sir Mark Poffley, said that in the three months to August, the Army had recruited just 10% of the officer recruits and 7% of the other ranks it needed for 2018-19.

The latest campaign adverts tell the stories of individuals whose perceived weaknesses are seen as strengths by the Army. Within the advert, potential recruits are shown at home or work, with others calling out their stereotypes. Before the scene changes to show them in the Army performing roles, including soldiers assisting on humanitarian missions in war-torn villages and supporting on a Caribbean hurricane relief effort.

The new campaign features posters targeting "Snow Flakes", "Selfie Addicts" and "Binge Gamers" (Pictures: British Army).

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "People are fundamental to the Army. "The 'Your Army Needs You' campaign is a powerful call to action that appeals to those seeking to make a difference as part of an innovative and inclusive team. "It shows that time spent in the Army equips people with skills for life and provides comradeship, adventure and opportunity like no other job does.

“Now all jobs in the Army are open to men and women. The best just got better." Major General Paul Nanson, General Officer Commanding, Army Recruiting and Initial Training Group, added: “The Army sees people differently and we are proud to look beyond the stereotypes and spot the potential in young people, from compassion to self-belief. "We understand the drive they have to succeed and recognise their need for a bigger sense of purpose in a job where they can do something meaningful.”

The new posters ask for "focus", "self-belief" and "spirit" (Pictures: British Army).

The campaign also features Kitchener-style illustrations of soldiers with stereotype labels which will be featured as billboards and outdoor advertising around the UK. Based on the historic Your Country Needs You First World War poster featuring the stern-eyed British field marshal, the new billboards call out to "Me Me Me Millennials", "Class Clowns", "Binge Gamers", "Phone Zombies", "Snow Flakes", "Selfie Addicts" and say the army needs their potential and assets. These are named as their self-belief, spirit, drive, focus, compassion and confidence. In 2016, the Army commissioned research that suggested 18-35-year-olds were spending an average of three-and-a-half hours on video games and social media.