Commemorating 80 years since VE Day
- ClientCommon Wealth War Graves Commission
- Services
- IndustryCharity
- ProjectThe ‘For Evermore’ Tour
- LocationAcross Great Britain
Remembering the Fallen
We partnered with Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) to create a national tour that honored the 80th anniversary of VE Day and launched the For Evermore initiative, inviting the public to find out more about VE and VJ Day, read real-life stories and share their own histories.
01
The Brief
Commemorating 80 Years
May 8th 2025 commemorated the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) and the end of World War II in Europe, a date of huge significance to so many people, especially to the CWGC whose core mission is to ensure that those who died in service, or as a result of conflict, are remembered forever. The CWGC maintains and cares for war graves and memorials at nearly 23,000 locations in 150 countries, and therefore marking this significant date was of huge importance to them.
The CWGC commissioned 2Heads to develop with them a campaign of inclusive celebration that recognised and celebrated liberty, keeping the memory of those fallen in the forefront of the community’s mind.
May 8th 2025 commemorated the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) and the end of World War II in Europe, a date of huge significance to so many people, especially to the CWGC whose core mission is to ensure that those who died in service, or as a result of conflict, are remembered forever. The CWGC maintains and cares for war graves and memorials at nearly 23,000 locations in 150 countries, and therefore marking this significant date was of huge importance to them.
The CWGC commissioned 2Heads to develop with them a campaign of inclusive celebration that recognised and celebrated liberty, keeping the memory of those fallen in the forefront of the community’s mind.
The campaign needed to mindfully commemorate those who fought for freedom by bringing together diverse communities to honour the sacrifices made through immersive experiences and meaningful reflection. A worthy aim that could inspire future generations.
CWGC’s objectives for 2Heads included:
- Craft a campaign in partnership that honoured the VE Day 80th Anniversary as a reminder of the importance of peace, unity, and remembrance.
- Acknowledge the bravery of military personnel & civilians during WWII through storytelling
- Provide historical reflection through educating the public about the significance of WWII
- Celebrate national identity and resilience, fostering a sense of unity and pride
- Ensuring that the memories of those who fought and suffered are preserved for future generations
- Engage communities by encouraging public participation through local grassroot events
- Fundraise to ensure the continued support of education and volunteering
- Re-launch the CWGC Torch for Peace and its brand as a message of urgency to record and keep stories alive
02
The Challenge
CWGC’s first ever public tour
There were two key challenges 2Heads sought to address with the proposed campaign of CWGC’s first ever public tour. With a pressing need to define the future direction of CWGC’s public presence, the celebrations around VE Day 80 could offer the perfect opportunity to do things differently and set the tone for the future. Firstly, how could a tour help CWGC show up during the VE Day 80 Anniversary event in a way that could generate important exposure during an important moment of national commemoration?
There were two key challenges 2Heads sought to address with the proposed campaign of CWGC’s first ever public tour. With a pressing need to define the future direction of CWGC’s public presence, the celebrations around VE Day 80 could offer the perfect opportunity to do things differently and set the tone for the future. Firstly, how could a tour help CWGC show up during the VE Day 80 Anniversary event in a way that could generate important exposure during an important moment of national commemoration?
Secondly, how can the campaign tour help reposition CWGC to drive brand awareness and relevancy of the CWGC amongst a younger and currently dis-engaged audience without alienating core demographics?
For these challenges to become opportunities, developing clear air around the campaign was crucial. 2Heads wanted to make sure the proposal was culturally relevant to its audience. For this 2Heads crafted a proposition that talked to CWGC’s unique remit in a language that engaged the right audiences but with relevance to the culture and climate of the modern day.
03The Process
Roadshow
Taking the ‘For Evermore’ Tour nationwide, 2Heads built a VE Day 80 Roadshow trailer that could house the all-important exhibition and supporting branded assets used to activate the experience at each location. The tour included 11 tier one stops across the UK, from the RAF Museum to Bletchley Park & the Wembley FA Cup final. Travelling nationwide for 5 weeks, we dealt with logistics, journey planning, utilities & provided Brand Ambassadors to support CWGC volunteers on site.
Storytelling
The For Evermore campaign was built around the principle of storytelling. Stories of incredible bravery & sacrifice were brought to people across the UK in a way that made them real. From archives displays to digital interactions, the campaign encouraged people to add their own ‘For Evermore’ stories. Tablets used the Anchor AR app to provide virtual tours of CWG sites & touch-enabled displays brought stories to fingertips with a bespoke app from 2Heads, designed, developed and delivered off-line app with help from CWGC’s curation of content.
Education
To achieve CWGC’s ambitions for education and inclusivity, 2Heads devised a tiered approach to the tour. For Tier 3 and 4 events at schools, universities, community centres and international CWGC sites, we created packs of education materials and resources about WW11 and VE Day to help promote an understanding of their historical significance. These engagement packs encourage community engagement & dialogue between veterans and younger generations without the outlay involved with tier 1 events.
Content
2Heads created a series of professional films from two key locations to support the tour. The speed of delivery and optimisation for social really helped support the reach of the event to audiences nationwide. We made storytelling the heart of the content with camera-facing narratives from veterans worldwide. 2Heads also aligned with CWGC’s PR agency to suggest profiles and personalities to help support the tour. Celebrities like Paul Hollywood accessed audiences beyond the standard Facebook fare with the design of a new Chelsea bun to help support the tour.
Torch of Peace
CWGC uses the “Torch for Peace” as a symbol of commemoration. A important part of the CWGC’s “For Evermore” tour, we wanted this lasting symbol to inspire future generations and ensure the stories of those who served are remembered. Situated within a graphic device, the Peace Arch, we aimed to bring more visual focus to the torch and provide a backdrop for photos and interview moments. The arch continued on as a stand–alone activation for the Torch’s tour which continued all the way to Normandy to light the 25,000 war graves there.
04
Solution
The CWGC For Evermore Tour
The CWGC For Evermore Tour launched on the 24th May to public fanfare. A touring exhibition at heart, we created a movable showcase of bravery and sacrifice to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day. Home to photographs, artifacts, and personal stories from the war, the Evermore Tour roadshow highlighted local contributions and experiences.
Supported by four branded Jaguar Land Rover Discoveries, two at each event, the tour trailer focused on storytelling sessions where families/descendants of fallen soldiers could share personal memories and create a deeper emotional connection to the memorial graves by adding their story to the For Evermore portal.
Interactive technology connected the public to important topics and helped attendees trace their connections to service members buried in CWGC cemeteries through Augmented Reality technology. The Torch of Peace activation reminded people of the need to struggle for unity against conflict, even now.
The CWGC For Evermore Tour launched on the 24th May to public fanfare. A touring exhibition at heart, we created a movable showcase of bravery and sacrifice to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day. Home to photographs, artifacts, and personal stories from the war, the Evermore Tour roadshow highlighted local contributions and experiences.
Supported by four branded Jaguar Land Rover Discoveries, two at each event, the tour trailer focused on storytelling sessions where families/descendants of fallen soldiers could share personal memories and create a deeper emotional connection to the memorial graves by adding their story to the For Evermore portal.
Interactive technology connected the public to important topics and helped attendees trace their connections to service members buried in CWGC cemeteries through Augmented Reality technology. The Torch of Peace activation reminded people of the need to struggle for unity against conflict, even now.
Creating the For Evermore Tour was a story in itself. A narrative of partnership between 2Heads & CWGC as we crafted a campaign that honored VE Day 80. Together we worked through a full creative response that suggested many avenues before we settled upon the successful blend of memorial and digital that became the Evermore Tour.
We evolved CWGC’s ambition to spread the story of our veterans with a new approach that curated existing assets to deliver a unique experience befitting CWGC’s evolution. This included re-evaluating the communication strategy, enhancing existing digital and physical assets, and being conscious of budget considering the charitable nature of the organisation.
One of the positive impacts this campaign approach created was the modernisation of CWGC’s brand language. Our creatives updated the 2D colour palettes and developed a new key campaign visual style. An important brand device included the visualisation of the cemetery semi-circle as a branded asset, all of which has been used as a rebrand across the organisation.
The fully wrapped and branded JLR Discovery cars formed an honour motorcade for the Roadshow trailer, signifying the important partnership between JLR and CWGC. The cars also provided a wonderful background, alongside the Torch of Peace arch for press moments and public photos.
From display tablets to real time virtual tours, content was both digital and heartfelt as guests added their own stories to the ever-growing repository, keeping memories of loved ones alive. Every element was considered from logistics, journey, staffing, movement to the educational collateral produced for the tiered event kits, all captured in a series of beautifully poignant content films.
5
Results
Engaging a Nation
The For Evermore Tour mobile exhibition began at the Battle of Britain Bunker in Hillingdon before moving to the RAF Museum in Hendon. The tour then moved to historic locations at Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes and the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds. The Torch of Peace Tour then continued on to the Normany Beaches before returning to the Imperial War Museum and the UK Dockyards, a total of sixteen locations before finishing its journey at the Plymouth Dockyards on the 25th July.
The For Evermore Tour mobile exhibition began at the Battle of Britain Bunker in Hillingdon before moving to the RAF Museum in Hendon. The tour then moved to historic locations at Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes and the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds. The Torch of Peace Tour then continued on to the Normany Beaches before returning to the Imperial War Museum and the UK Dockyards, a total of sixteen locations before finishing its journey at the Plymouth Dockyards on the 25th July.
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