A new exhibition at Bournemouth University will highlight water safety and showcase the work of the RNLI over the last 200 years.
This event, from 1-31 August, will highlight the evolution of RNLI’s lifesaving advertising campaigns and explore the future of water safety messaging.
The exhibition also showcases the evolution of RNLI’s focus towards educating the public on water safety.
Modern campaigns such a Float to Live emphasise vital messages such as avoiding rip currents and staying afloat in emergencies, vividly brought to life through audio-visual displays.
The Water Incident Database (WAID), led by the National Water Safety Forum, reveals a stark increase in water-related fatalities from the mid-teens to mid-twenties, with the most fatalities occurring in June, July and August.
The exhibition will be hosted in BU’s Fusion Building on the Talbot Campus and will celebrate the RNLI’s efforts as the UK’s largest charity dedicated to water safety & drowning prevention. It’s an educational and inspirational event for BU students, staff, their families, and the local community.
It’ll be open to the public and school groups throughout August.
Dr Jill Nash, a Senior Lecturer in Advertising and Marketing Communications at Bournemouth University, is one of the curators of the exhibition. She said, “This exhibition is an important display of the power of advertising to resonate with its audience and, ultimately, save lives.
“This is a fascinating window into the innovation of past advertising campaigns and is helping to push the boundaries for what future campaigns might look like too. We’re delighted to be partnering with the RNLI to showcase these messages.”
In a forward-looking section, the exhibition will display innovative advertising concepts from BA (Hons) Advertising and BA (Hons) Animation undergraduates. These potential future RNLI campaigns are designed to resonate with young audiences, promoting safer swimming practices and better water safety decisions and include an interactive animation game as well as advertising creative posters.