The Poppy Legion’s 2017 ‘Rethinking Remembrance’ campaign differed to that of previous year’s in the sense that it had a dual focus: The Royal British Legion were asking the nation to recognise sacrifices made by the Armed Forces community, past and present. They also looked to promote the idea that wearing a poppy is not just a symbol of remembrance for the fallen, but for a new generation of veterans and service personal that need our support. This public statement, simultaneously focusing on hope for a new generation and remembrance, has had a resounding effect on the charity’s reputation, through making the campaign relevant to young Britons, whilst ensuring that remembrance remains an integral part of modern British Society. It is fair to say that this year’s campaign has been successful in combating these perceptions regarding remembrance and the ‘poppy brand’.
On Remembrance Sunday millions fell silent throughout Britain in honour of Remembrance Sunday, proving that 99 years after the end of The Great War, paying respect to heroes and victims of wars, past and present, is still ever important. Within the capital, as Big Ben sounded the first stroke of 11am, the city’s streets plunged into silence. Over at Whitehall, Prince Charles took on a symbolic royal duty, leading the nation in honouring the fallen, placing a wreath of poppies at the Cenotaph. This poignant and historical handover meant that, for the first time, Queen Elizabeth II would not perform this duty. Many of the younger royals were also present at the service, which was shown live on the BBC.
It is important to note however, that the 2017 appeal was not solely confined to a two minutes’ silence and the annual Whitehall memorial, there seemed to be a real sense of digital engagement with the campaign, across various social media platforms. This demonstrates how the charity is being backed by younger, technology savvy supporters. By way of example, ‘#RemembranceDay’ was used over 250,000 times on Instagram this year, and hundreds of thousands of people chose to add a poppy to their Facebook profile photo. Others took to twitter to tell their stories of remembrance, whilst most television presenters and news reporters could be seen wearing a poppy on programmes aired over the run up to Remembrance Sunday. This unanimous support for the charity seems to silence any debate surrounding what Channel 4’s Jon Snow termed, ‘poppy fascism’, or obligation to demonstrate support for the appeal through wearing a poppy on national television.
The resounding and continuous backing for the campaign proves the effectiveness of The Poppy Legion’s efforts to increase the relatability of the campaign to a wider audience. It is fair to say that, even in 2017, remembrance is engraved in British life, culture and heritage.