The Brief
Reaching the people who don't follow mountain rescue
In August 2025, I reached out to Llanberis Mountain Rescue (part of the North Wales Mountain Rescue Association) with a proposal. Call-outs on Yr Wyddfa had been rising, and I felt there was a genuine public interest case for a video that addressed outdoor safety in a way that might actually reach the people who needed to hear it.
The challenge was a familiar one in heritage and safety communications: their existing platforms reached people who were already engaged. What was missing was a way into a different audience - people who were active outdoors but unlikely to follow a mountain rescue organisation on social media.
The Approach
A conversation on the mountain, not a safety briefing
In September 2025, I joined Llanberis team chairman Jurgen Dissmann and press officer Kathryn Cummings for a walk up Yr Wyddfa. The format was simple: a handheld camera, no script, and a genuine conversation as we climbed - covering weather preparation, route research, dynamic decision-making, and what mountain rescue call-outs actually look like from the inside.
Partway up, the predicted storm arrived early. We turned back - which turned out to be one of the most effective moments in the finished video, demonstrating live exactly the kind of decision-making we'd been discussing.
The result was a 40-minute long-form YouTube video that felt like walking with knowledgeable friends rather than watching a safety briefing. That's the Northern Introvert format - and it's what drives the high retention and audience trust the channel is known for.
Alongside the main video, I produced a series of short-form clips for YouTube Shorts, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, each adapted for the platform. The Llanberis team had full editorial input throughout, with the opportunity to review and request changes before anything went live.
The Results
Over 1.8 million combined views across platforms
The content reached age groups that mountain rescue organisations typically struggle to engage through conventional channels, including a significant proportion of 25-34 year olds - precisely the demographic most likely to underestimate mountain risk.
The long-form video achieved a 99.6% like-to-dislike ratio, higher than the channel average, indicating that the safety messaging landed without feeling prescriptive or alienating to the audience.
"I saw a professional who brought passion and reflection to the subjects he focused on, but also gave others a voice. It wasn't all about him or product promotion."
Jacqui Hanson · NWMRA Media Officer · Mountain Rescue Magazine, Winter 2026
"Reaching audiences we would not have been able to engage via our own platforms."
Jacqui Hanson · NWMRA Media Officer · Mountain Rescue Magazine, Winter 2026
External Coverage
Written up in Mountain Rescue Magazine
Winter 2026
Working with an Online Influencer
A full feature written by NWMRA Media Officer Jacqui Hanson covering the collaboration's methodology, platform results broken down by age group, and a recommendation to other mountain rescue teams considering similar partnerships with online creators.