In the summer of 2022, Canny was engaged to be the PR and communications partner for the Three Counties Defence and Security Expo (3CDSE), which encompassed a dinner, industry day and expo.

3CDSE is an expo targeted at defence and security SMEs who develop products and services aimed at the specialist user. The event was originally aimed at businesses in the three counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire due to the high prevalence of such organisations within the region but quickly gained a national and international reach. 3CDSE recognised that Canny’s intimate understanding of this context positioned us perfectly to drive attendance to this event.

A media strategy that directly resulted in coverage for 3CDSE and exhibitors in publications such as Battlespace and Shephard.

This media strategy also included a crisis management procedure, which had to be implemented on the day of the event due to pressure from protestors, and resulted in balanced coverage in the local media.

Photography and videography to ensure that both exhibitors and the event organisers had plenty of content to drive sales.

The writing and distribution of marketing emails.

Copy for 3CDSE’s website, including a carefully researched thought piece.

A comprehensive social media plan for 3CDSE, including the curation of relevant content. This took the form of posts of varying frequency, reshares and a wide range of purpose-created images and videos.

We also organised and hosted an ‘innovation showcase’ that allowed smaller SMEs an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities to a receptive audience.

This robust and all-encompassing comms strategy resulted in a substantial increase in social media engagement and website views for 3CDSE. By effectively utilising 3CDSE’s social media presence and curating compelling content, the event was a roaring success.  

Views of 3CDSE’s LinkedIn page experienced a significant increase, with mobile views increasing by 751%, and desktop views by 821% between September and October. The engagement rate also showed substantial growth, rising by 252% in August. Organic impressions peaked in October, reaching 144% more than in previous months.  

Canny has been asked to continue as PR and comms partner for the event as it enters its latest evolution as the Specialist Defence and Security Convention (SDSC). 

3CDSE

Ploughshare has revolutionised its approach to exploiting innovations born from within the UK government to reap benefits for society at large. It asked Canny to help demonstrate the impact of its business model.

We conducted a series of interviews with key figures within Ploughshare to draw out the stories that brought Ploughshare’s impact to life. We then ‘put pen to paper’ and collated these into an annual review.

We designed the content structure, sourced the information, interviewed the subject matter experts, wrote and edited the copy and worked closely with Ploughshare’s existing design supplier.

Copywriting: showing the impact of innovation

This all culminated in a beautiful eBook that showcased Ploughshare’s many achievements at that time. It was launched at an in-person event in September 2022, engaging its key stakeholders and gaining coverage with relevant news sources. 

Ploughshare

Bright Corvus, a high-profile research and development programme being undertaken by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), needed to increase engagement and support from the project’s stakeholders. These include military users of the next-generation technology in the Front Line Commands and the partners they need to work with them in developing it, such as fellow colleagues, academia and industry. 

Our first step was to extract the technical details from the experts in each area. We quickly understood the potential use cases and applied them to our knowledge of the operational environment. Next, we developed a series of 3D concept stills and a 3D animation to show the potential application of this highly complex technology in a battlefield context. 

Using 3D animation allowed for greater realism and ensured that stakeholders could more easily visualise the full potential of future systems. Applying advanced radio frequency technologies in distributed systems enabled the delivery of disruptive surveillance, protection and navigation solutions.

Communicating emerging tech to front-line users

These highly realistic 3D concepts have been implemented in core stakeholder briefings, while the animation has already been put to use at the first Bright Corvus annual conference, as well as at the media release of the Defence Command Paper Refresh in July 2023. The visuals have allowed the project to make a real impact at both events, gaining traction with all their stakeholders but particularly MPs and senior military personnel. The customer is delighted with the result and Canny’s approach – producing a high-quality animation within an incredibly short timescale to meet their deadlines.

Dstl - Bright Corvus

Uncrewed aviation specialist Callen-Lenz sought to promote its novel Koios drone system and announce a new working relationship with Inzpire at the 2022 Farnborough International Airshow. More widely, it wished to refresh its image and emphasise the range and quality of its products.

Canny created a suite of marketing materials to deliver a shift change in the company’s brand image. This included stand designs for both the Callen-Lenz and Inzpire stands, as well as printed brochures.

Callen-Lenz successfully showcased its new look with a great response from all its stakeholders. This was just step one in the evolution of the brand. See its new website to witness the next stage of change. 

Callen-Lenz

Our entry, 'a media service: unbiased geopolitical analysis' and was focused on our PR work with our long-standing client Sibylline.

They are an excellent case study of how a concerted, targeted media strategy can result in enhanced media coverage. From comparatively humble beginnings, Sibylline has established itself as one of the leading independent risk analysis firms. They now count many firms in the FTSE 250 and Fortune 500 as their clients, and their growth shows no sign of slowing down.

In 2019, Canny was enlisted to help Sibylline showcase its expertise to the world through PR. Given Canny’s specialism in defence and security, knowledge of the threat environment and the news agenda, we used our well-established relationships with national and international correspondents in the industry to build credible examples of commentary. This, combined with us setting up the systems to provide an expert commentary service for breaking geopolitical news, we quickly gained traction with the wider media.

Sibylline’s geopolitical analysis is now a regular fixture in the UK, and international press. Their CEO, Justin Crump can be routinely seen on BBC News, Sky News, Deutsche Welle and Radio Four's Today program, among many others. It’s not just their CEO either, the sage insights of their regional analysts can frequently be found in such publications such as The Sunday Times, Wired and Barron’s.

We now look forward to the awards ceremony in October and keep our fingers crossed for a win!

Justin Crump, CEO of Sibylline presenting a news bulletin on Sky News

Canny has been shortlisted for the Chartered Insitute of Public Relations 2023 Pride Awards in the category of Best Use of Media Relations.

Defence PR: Canny is shortlisted for a 2023 Pride Award

Olivia comes straight from the University of Nottingham, where she has just earned a first-class MA in international security and terrorism as well as a BA in politics and international relations.  This gives her a solid theoretical understanding of international security issues and an appreciation for the complex geopolitical challenges that our clients often face.

Olivia's master's thesis examined the challenges faced by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament in Britain and explored whether the committee could operate effectively in the coming years. In the course of preparing her dissertation, she had the privilege of working with former members of the committee, gaining valuable experience in handling sensitive data. 

Olivia has always enjoyed a high level of sport, having spent ten years as an elite gymnast and, most recently, winning the national championships with her university's cheerleading team. Through cheerleading, she found a love for communication while managing social channels as the team’s publicity secretary.

Olivia lept at the chance to work for Canny as she'll be able to craft a career that combines her long-standing political interests with her emerging skills in communications. Within the first week of joining us, Olivia started a foundation award in public relations with the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and immediately added value to our varied and interesting client work. 

We are happy to share that Olivia Berringer has joined the Canny team as an account executive.

International security and terrorism graduate joins the team

Explore the fascinating fusion of military and commercial technology, the emphasis on human solutions, and the critical significance of the 'near-ground' battlespace. James Peddell, chief technology consultant for Canny Comms, delves into these key themes, offering valuable insights and lessons applicable to militaries worldwide. Discover how Ukraine's adaptive posture and relentless drive for innovation are reshaping modern warfare strategies.

 The Russian invasion of Ukraine has laid bare the advantages and limitations of hybrid warfare, with global news outlets following the stories of fake news and influence operations, through to control of oil supplies and threats of nuclear warfare. Behind the headlines, the closely fought ground battle is starting to expose the real innovation. After short-term successes, the Russian conventional forces have been matched by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), supported by Western equipment. However, it is the AFU’s agile and innovative approach that has delivered the edge. 

From artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D printing to unmanned platforms and commercial space, James Peddell, chief technology consultant for Canny Comms and founder of technology consultancy Black Jellyfish, identifies three key themes that militaries the world over can learn from Ukraine’s refreshing approach. 

A fusion of military and commercial technology  

The AFU has been remarkably effective at accessing and deploying both civilian and military technology in tandem. It has done this by using a global constellation of commercial ‘off-the-shelf’ and foreign military technology, each part modified and integrated to bypass the demands of a lengthy bespoke military programme. Many will have seen the example of SpaceX’s Starlink, which has been integrated into AFU communications and was able to rapidly overcome Russian attempts at jamming. Similarly, geospatial imagery from commercial satellite services is being combined with Western intelligence to provide a unique battlespace picture. Even controversial AI facial recognition is being repurposed using social media to identify Russian casualties of war and inform their families. The opportunities and benefits from leveraging both commercial and miliary advancements seem almost limitless. 

Yet, perhaps more important is the agility with which commercial and military technology can be put to use. The AFU is achieving this by creating specialist military and civilian teams, using the best talent it has available, to rapidly assess and implement technology at scale. These teams have developed tactics that combine commercial drones (Chinese DJI), to detect and identify targets, with military drones (Turkish Bayraktar TB2 and the US Switchblade) to deliver weapons. Intelligence teams have worked with Primer AI, rapidly repurposing its technology to transcribe and translate unencrypted Russian communications, automatically highlighting key intelligence and massively reducing costs in terms of both money and labour. In Ukraine, an adaptive posture and an open-minded attitude to solutions are proving an effective adversary.  

 The critical tactical importance of the ‘near-ground’ battlespace has been exemplified in the Ukraine conflict. This space is dominated by UAS, counter UAS and EW. Indeed, the sheer array and quantity of technology deployed in this battlespace is indicative of its importance. Drones are being used across all military roles, from surveillance, EW and communications through to logistics resupply, loitering munitions and weapon delivery. New capabilities are even being developed in the field, specifically for the near-ground battlespace. Obsolete anti-tank grenades are being fitted with 3D-printed tailfins to allow them to be air-dropped from drones, highlighting again the resourceful posture that has been so important. What smaller conflicts, like Nagorno- Karabakh, have hinted at has been proved beyond all doubt by Ukraine: whomever controls the near-ground battlespace can dominate the battlefield.   The Ukraine conflict has repeatedly shown the importance of an adaptive posture and an unsentimental preparedness to innovate wherever possible. Militaries from across the world should learn these lessons and seek to apply them to their own modernisation efforts. In the UK, there are significant strides being made that align with these lessons. The Future Commando Force (FCF) is transforming the Royal Marines into an ‘autonomous advance force’, including the creation of agile rapid response teams. Similarly, the Army’s programme on human machine teaming aims to leverage both commercial and military technologies, with a focus on the near-ground battlespace. However, I suspect that the hard-learned lessons of the AFU can be put to great use more widely, across the whole UK military.  

James Peddell has an outstanding track record of leadership at the forefront of global innovation and technology for defence. His previous roles include Head of Sensor Systems for the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory, Research Director for the Royal Navy’s £60M S&T programme, Defence Technology Attaché at the British Embassy in Washington and Head of Defence Innovation at Roke Manor Research. Through Black Jellyfish Ltd and a partnership with Canny Comms, James engages with government and industry to provide expert advice, develop partnerships and accelerate innovation in defence. 

What can the world learn from Ukraine's agile and innovative approach?

Warfare: the mother of all innovation

A team of academics, experts, or professionals in a specific field often develops their own communication style, filled with jargon that expedites dialogue within their bubble. However, when engaging outside of their expertise, understanding and conveying complex concepts becomes a challenge. That's where our multidisciplinary team excels. With our unique blend of communication, technical, and industry expertise, we bridge the gap by quickly grasping the intellectual and technical issues. From advanced computing to biotechnology, we ensure that engineers, scientists, and others are better understood through accessible language and compelling visuals. Collaborate, scale, innovate - let us help you communicate effectively.

A team of academics, experts or professionals in a specific field will often develop their own bespoke communication style. Between them, there is a collective understanding of complicated concepts which can often show itself as a shorthand form of speech, where a certain level of knowledge is implied. What might seem like alienating jargon is actually there to expedite dialogue.  

But that jargon, as it becomes the new normal, becomes a problem when that team needs to engage outside of their own bubble. This could be for reasons of collaboration, with experts in different fields, or for commercial reasons, with financial investors who want to know whether scalability, efficiency or innovation are possible. Often, with emerging technologies, this engagement is fundamental to the inception of the product or service. 

The difficult but not insurmountable communication challenge is to understand the intellectual and technical issues in order to frame everything within messages using more accessible language. This is where we are most at home, fitting neatly into a technical team, able to quickly understand the complex scientific, technical and industry details, before transforming that information into words and images that make sense to those outside of the bubble. 

We are able to do this because of our unique multidisciplinary team which combines communications experts with technical and industry experts.  Whether it’s advanced computing, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, autonomy, robotics, directed energy, hypersonics or biotechnology, we will understand what you do quickly so we can get on with making sure others get it too.  

A team of academics, experts, or professionals in a specific field often develops their own communication style, filled with jargon that expedites dialogue within their bubble.

Helping engineers and scientists to be better understood

Wiltshire and Hereford-based communications consultancy, Canny Comms Ltd (Canny) is launching a new digital twinning service in conjunction with Monmouth-based Motion Real Estate Media.

This service was unveiled at the Three Counties Defence and Security Expo taking place at Three Counties Showground in Malvern on Thursday 3rd November. Three Counties is an opportunity for companies within Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire to come together to research and build opportunities within the defence and security industry. It was the obvious event at which to announce this regional partnership.

Motion RE Media specialise in 3D virtual reality, digital twinning and drone technologies. With an already impressive track record in property, aviation and consumer product industries and having worked with the likes of Audi on the launch of the RS5 and bootmakers Fairfax and Favour on a virtual shopping experience. 

By partnering with Canny, a communications and marketing agency which specialises in defence and security, the joint-team will deliver new ways to market and explain complex technology and products which will go on to protect national security. 

The first project the team undertook was to capture a digital twin of the Royal International Air Tattoo chalet line and showground within an interactive map. 

Lindsay Compton, CEO of Canny Comms said, “Often, the challenge with technology adoption is getting people to understand the potential of it and how to trust it. We aim to use our skills in communication and marketing to get great technology into front line hands more quickly. 3D virtual reality is another way of bringing technology to life; ensuring it gets the backing it deserves, whether that’s from an investor or the end user and everyone else in between. Even better that we’ve found the perfect partner just a whisker over the Herefordshire border.”

Harry Ravenhill, Director and co-founder of Motion RE Media said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with another company on our doorstep. To launch our new service at the Three Counties Showground is particularly poignant not just because of our locality, but also because our services were founded in giving farmers, property and landowners a digital view of their buildings and land. A service born in agriculture is now at an agricultural showground to launch into another industry for which the region is so well known.”

“Defence and security is a natural step for us. Where you need to take complex products and emerging technologies to market, you have to work harder to bring concepts to life and capture your audience’s attention. We are seeing more and more companies turning to drone mapping, 360-degree filming and 3D VR technologies to help them do this, now it’s time for defence and security campaigns to do the same. 

Canny partners with a Monmouth-based company to bring digital twinning and 360 imagery to defence and security organisations.

Canny Comms unveils its digital twinning services at the Three Counties Defence and Security Expo

Seb will be supporting the full breadth of our activity, bringing with him a good understanding of the global context, particularly in international relations, in which our military and therefore our clients operate within.   

Seb grew up and lives in Wiltshire. He completed a BA in War Studies at King’s College London, before tackling an MA in European Politics at Exeter University. He has also studied European Human Rights Law at the London School of Economics, putting him in a strong position to craft high-quality content for our clients.  

Sebastian said, "I am energised by the prospect of working alongside Canny's incredibly knowledgeable team, and I expect to learn a huge amount".

We are very pleased that Sebastian Newton has joined our team to start his career as an account executive.

Canny benefits from a dose of emerging international relations talent

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