RNLI

RNLI — Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Work experience placement, 2025.

At the RNLI, design plays a direct role in saving lives. Messages need to communicate instantly, cut through noise, and remain memorable under pressure. During a one-week placement, I worked across several campaigns with that standard in mind.

Float to Live campaign

People rarely retain more than a glance from most ads. RNLI campaigns need to do more — land instantly and be remembered in high-stress situations. The challenge was to create visuals that cut through quickly and stay with the viewer when it matters most.

I explored creative directions for the RNLI's Float to Live campaign, focusing on inclusivity — recognising that not everyone floats the same — while reinforcing the core lifesaving message.

Float to Live — campaign poster exploration.

A series of Instagram stories and a carousel translated water safety guidance into fast, attention-grabbing content designed for high-scroll environments.

Float to Live — campaign poster exploration.

Instagram stories — animated and static versions of the Float to Live campaign.

Instagram carousel — water safety guidance formatted for sequential swipe.

25 Years of Lifeguards

For a billboard campaign marking 25 years of RNLI Lifeguards, I referenced the service's 2001 launch. Visuals used candid-style imagery with subtle early-2000s treatments — light leaks and grain — to create a sense of nostalgia while celebrating the people behind the service.

25 Years campaign — candid-style photography with period-appropriate treatment.

Design approach

With only one week, speed mattered. I prioritised generating and testing ideas quickly rather than refining a single direction in isolation. This meant:

• Interpreting RNLI brand guidelines with confidence
• Exploring multiple directions in parallel
• Making effective use of the existing image library
• Iterating through feedback and discussion

Working this way allowed ideas to be tested and refined with clarity and recall in mind.

Editorial layouts — page spreads combining narrative and data visualisation.

Finished poster mockup — 25 Years of RNLI Lifeguards, billboard format.

What I learned

Simplicity is a decision. Reducing a design takes as much intent as building it. In high-stakes communication, clarity almost always wins.

Constraints are valuable. Working within an established brand, in a professional team, and under tight time pressure pushed my decision-making further than typical academic briefs.