Our Thinking

Latest Thinking

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

Laptop displaying communications analytics and performance charts on a desk, representing the challenge of measuring long-term communications impact.

Budgets are tight, but impact takes time

Quick wins are easy to measure. Long-term impact is harder. We look at why effective communications takes time, how audiences move towards action, and what progress can look like along the way.

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Ukrainian military uniform featuring a blue and yellow Ukraine flag patch and the national trident emblem, alongside the headline: “Do Russian threats actually weaken support for Ukraine?

Do Russian threats weaken support for Ukraine?

Does recognising the risk of Russian retaliation weaken British support for Ukraine? YouGov polling reveals a more complicated picture across age, gender and political affiliation.

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BFBS Creative article banner featuring retro cassette tapes and CDs, with the headline “Why does the past feel so popular right now?” and a subheading about UK data on nostalgia.

Why Does the Past Feel So Popular Right Now?

Nostalgia is everywhere, but what’s actually driving it? The latest UK data reveals how different age groups engage with the past, and what that means for communicators today.

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Banner showing young Royal Navy recruits ironing their uniforms, with the text: “From Written Off to Signed Up. What the DWP report could mean for UK Armed Forces recruitment.

From Written Off to Signed Up

The Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) Young People and Work report found that nearly a million young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET), despite most saying they want a job, education or training. This article explores what the findings could mean for Armed Forces recruitment, exploring the challenges, opportunities and assumptions surrounding a significant group of potential recruits.

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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

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Banner displaying a phone showing the French Response account on X. Heading on banner says Government Comms is Changing with a subheading saying hashtag Meme Diplomacy

Meme Diplomacy: How France is Rewriting the Rules of Government Communication

France’s French Response account is attracting attention for its fast, direct and platform-native approach to government communication online. This piece explores what that shift reveals about the changing information environment, and why traditional communications approaches are increasingly being tested by it.

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Research reports & resources

 

 

Download our latest research on audience understanding, strategic communications and the information environment.

Audience Understanding Report Cover
Audience Understanding
Communicating Defence Across a Divided Europe
Front page cover of the report
Information Environment
Rethinking Defence Communications

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