The Royal Navy has spent more than £123,000 on third-party independent content creators since July 2024 as part of efforts to reach new audiences, improve perceptions of the service and support recruitment, the Ministry of Defence has said.
The figure was disclosed by Veterans and People Minister Calvin Bailey in response to a written parliamentary question from Conservative MP Charlie Dewhirst, who asked how much the MOD had spent on social media influencers since July 2024.
Bailey said: “Since July 2024, the Ministry of Defence has spent £123,173 on third-party independent content creators. This figure includes all costs, such as agency fees.”
The minister confirmed that the expenditure related entirely to the Royal Navy rather than campaigns conducted by the Army, Royal Air Force or the wider department.
The MOD also sees social media campaigns as having a role beyond attracting new personnel. According to the answer, direct communications can support retention by reaching people around serving personnel as well as those considering joining. Bailey added: “Direct messaging also supports retention by recognising the influence of families, friends and veterans.”
The Royal Navy’s recruitment and attraction team is responsible for leading recruitment activity, with communications personnel supporting campaigns intended to shape awareness and perceptions of the Naval Service among selected audiences.
The use of independent creators is becoming common and reflects the increasing importance of social media in Armed Forces recruitment, particularly when attempting to reach younger audiences who may be less likely to encounter conventional advertising or traditional military recruitment material. The MOD said campaigns involving creators are subject to the same requirement for planning and evaluation as other communications spending.
The £123,173 figure represents spending specifically on third-party independent content creators used by the Royal Navy rather than the MOD’s wider expenditure on social media advertising, communications or recruitment campaigns.
Not a lot of point to any of this really – the legacy political parties have decimated the Royal Navy – the Labour Party since taking office have decommissioned about ten major Royal Navy/RFA assets and replaced them with the grand total of zero – the U.K was a laughing stock when we couldn’t deploy a single ship to Cyprus to protect British military personnel and our interests – it was embarrassing and pathetic and it’s all down to the legacy political parties.
Labour haven’t yet finished destroying the British military with their horrendous underfunding and cuts there is more destruction to come.
Well that was a nice little story…
Glad you liked it little one
When the frigates do finally arrive in number RN will have a, too small, but very modern fleet.
Assuming they work…
We all would like to see more numbers, but many forget the big increase in capability. For far to long our Armed Forces had some poor equipment. The numbers might have looked more impressive on a ORBAT, but the capability and effect is key. The RN of 2030 would wipe the floor with the RN from 1990 or 2000 despite the big difference in numbers.
Ha! The enemy has also increased their capability.
China. Yes. Russia. Not really. And they also have nothing like the mass they once had. Even with our escort numbers at their lowest currently, NATO still has a handle on them.
So, we have technically improved, the enemy has technically improved, we have less kit.
We have do not know what we might face tomorrow, the Argentinians showed us that, we even faced a weapon that we were equipped with (Exocet).
No excuses, just facts.
The Russians have technically improved?
Show some evidence for that!
T26 is a quantum leap from T23 as is T45 from T42 as is QEC from an Invincible as is F35B from a SHAR.
Even the T31’s much derided radar fit is far better than anything that RN had 25 years ago.
Well said 👏
The Russians have struggled to maintain a single naval ship on station to escort their tankers in UK waters. They don’t do underway replenishment, and have few options for port visits, limiting their ability to deploy significant force at distance.
But their nuclear submarines are a very real threat.
Facts from 44 years ago. The RN has learnt a huge amount from that war. Can’t keep looking back. We can’t change anything, can’t change defence cuts of the past. Can only look forward.
It’s all the political parties ….
The money should be used to support localised recruitment – nothing works better than a faceless social media post or 2.
Utter waste of money. Instead focus on funding the military properly so it can look after its people better and also Recruiting from the Sea Cadets.
Wrong Jonty! It seems to me a modest budget for the important role it performs.
It just gets sillier. 😏
Not really Geoff. You are using a form of social media right now. If it helps spread the word to young people about the RN use social media every single day, who have used it from day 1, who use it in a very different way to how me or you use it. We aren’t 18 or 19. Those kids live in a very different world now, and follow countless content creators, and the Armed Forces and how we recruit has to move with the times. What worked in 1996 isn’t they way in 2026.
Feels like a lot of the comments on here are living in the past. Defence needs to connect better with the people of this country and if spending what amounts to a single average annual salary plus overheads for a couple of years can help remind tens of thousands that the Navy exists, it’s worth it.
We complain that the politicians have ignored Defence for too long. In part that’s because Defence doesn’t seem relevant to most people’s lives so our politicians concluded that there are no votes in Defence. The conversation has to start somewhere.
Agreed. Obviously the older generations won’t understand. A tale as old as time.
Well said. To many that use this site just hark back to the 80s or 90s. Back in my day lad…
Agreed.
Possibly one of the reasons that recruitment is up?
Agreed but my point stands, not that it would pay for much, happy to spend on what looks like PC rubbish but not fund training. That is just how things are at the MOD, Defence spening has not really gone up its just clever acounting. Frustrating
Don’t really see any issue to get upset about with this?
If it helps connect with recruits?
Well said, I have no idea why there are negative comments, this is a really good strategy.
If anything I would say the perhaps they should spend more on this. £123k is loose change and it has the potential to make a huge difference.
Could you point us to some of the online material pls?
Rather than spending money on ‘Social Creators’ (is that a real job), they would be better off reopening career offices in towns and cities and having service personnel to talk and recruit via schools colleges etc.