Case study: 90th anniversary

The challenge

To celebrate 90 years of the British Council’s global impact while positioning the organisation as modern, inclusive, and future-facing — not simply looking back, but engaging new audiences. The campaign needed to resonate across a wide range of audiences, from global governments and cultural partners and general audiences interested in arts, and bring together diverse teams under one unifying message.

The goal

The aim of the campaign was to showcase the global impact over 90 years while positioning the organisation as forward-looking. Central to the campaign was creating a consistent and engaging brand experience across digital channels, grounded in compelling human stories. We aimed to increase brand awareness with consistent, high-quality content that highlighted the organisation’s relevance.

My role

As part of a working group, I helped shape and deliver the campaign. My responsibilities included: gathering stories and identifying thematic links; developing an integrated social media campaign (organic and paid); writing campaign copy for web, email, and social; working with cross-functional teams to ensure aligned messaging; co-developing KPIs and post-campaign evaluation.

A young woman smiling and wearing a yellow t shirt and a young smiling man in a pink t shirt stand in front of a wall with a 90 years graphic in the top right corner as part of the British Council's 90th annivesrary

The solution.

We developed a cohesive digital-first campaign that paired archival storytelling with forward-looking content.

  • A curated timeline and microsite celebrated 90 years.

  • Original photography and user-generated stories were featured across social channels.

  • Campaign ran alongside a recruitment drive for new partners to reach and mobilise new audiences.

  • Paid media campaigns drove targeted audiences to campaign content and current partnership opportunities.

  • Alumni interviews and cultural stories highlighted diversity, creativity and legacy.

  • Content was adapted regionally to ensure global relevance while maintaining brand consistency

Results

  • Over 1.2 million impressions across social media.

  • 10% increase in e-mail subscribers.

  • Paid media click-through rate outperformed benchmark by 2%.

  • Increase in new partners applying for opportunities.

  • More than 50 global teams engaged with the campaign, contributing localised stories and content.

  • Stakeholder engagement survey showed increased pride in the organisation’s mission and impact.

  • Internal stakeholders praised the campaign for bringing a unified, accessible narrative to a complex global organisation.

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