WASHINGTON
As their Army counterparts struggle to meet monthly recruiting goals, awarding huge cash bonuses and lowering educational standards to attract new soldiers, Navy recruiters say they might have found a powerful and distinctive sales pitch for the sea service.
In a multimillion-dollar television, radio and online ad campaign, the Navy is presenting itself largely as a humanitarian rather than a warfighting organization. Several of the ads give more emphasis to the Navy's prowess in delivering relief supplies than its ability to deliver bombs.
The TV spots include footage of Navy helicopters dropping food and medicine to survivors of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and plucking stranded New Orleans residents from their rooftops after Hurricane Katrina. One online ad invites recruits to "cruise the open seas, defend freedom, help the humanitarian cause."
The appeals, which began appearing about a year ago, seem to have struck a chord with what service officials call the "millennial generation" - people now in their late teens and early 20s. A Pentagon survey in the fall found the commercials have burnished the Navy's reputation with potential recruits, fueling a sharp jump in the number who see the Navy as an elite organization or view Navy service as "something to be proud of."
"Young people today are interested in being able to do something with a broad-based impact," said Kathleen Donald, an ad executive at Campbell-Ewald who helped develop the Navy campaign. "They want to be part of making the world a better place."
Because joining the military "intrinsically alters the course of a person's life," it's tougher to craft a successful recruiting ad than a commercial selling laundry detergent or soft drinks, Donald said.
The challenge is particularly acute in wartime, when parents and other "influencers" are most likely to be wary about seeing a young relative or friend join the military. "We have to help them walk through the decision-making process," she said.
The ads are "absolutely in the center of the bull's eye in terms of what would attract a lot of young people," said John Allen Williams, a political scientist at Loyola University Chicago.
A retired Navy reserve captain, Williams directs Loyola's Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society. Jesuit-run Loyola always has attracted students interested in public service, military or otherwise, Williams said, but he sees a passion for humanitarian work in many of today's students that wasn't so apparent in their predecessors.
But Marc Babej, who heads Reason Inc., a corporate strategy consulting company that helps clients plot ad campaigns, suspects something other than altruism might explain the campaign's success.
"One thing that's consistent across generations is, all other things being equal, most people prefer to go to the service where they're less likely to get shot," Babej said.
Right now, with the United States fighting land wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the "safe" service is the Navy, and the ads are designed to make the most of it, he said.
Two TV ads in the Navy's current rotation are at the center of the appeal. One, titled "Wave," shows a giant wave breaking and washing over the camera.
The screen goes black as a somber voice announces: "December 26, 2004, 7:59 a.m.: The sea delivers untold devastation to a huge area of southeast Asia." Then, as the water recedes and the camera reveals a swarm of Navy helicopters carrying bundles of supplies over the beach, the voice adds, "Soon after, it delivers something else."
A second ad, "Ribbons," features images of sailors at work during the tsunami relief effort, as well as in New Orleans and aboard the hospital ship Mercy during a 2006 humanitarian cruise in the Pacific. It ends with aerial footage of sailors lining the deck of the aircraft carrier Nimitz and an invitation: "If you want to make a difference in your world, spend some time in ours."
The Navy's approach contrasts sharply with those of the Army, Air Force and the Marine Corps. The Army's current "Army Strong" ad campaign puts a premium on the Army's ability to provide job training and build character. Much of the effort is directed at parents, traditionally a major influence on young people contemplating a military career.
The tag line at the end of several Army commercials is "You made them strong. We'll make them Army strong."
The Air Force's "Do something amazing" ads show airmen using some of the service's high-tech equipment, a big draw for potential recruits in their teens and early 20s.
The Marines are mostly sticking with their traditional emphasis - selling the Corps as an elite fighting force and challenging young people to see if they can meet its standards. One new Marine ad, however, takes a tack more like that of the Navy's campaign, showing a line of Marines stretching from an East Coast lighthouse to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The commercial's narrator speaks of Marines as "dedicated to a sense of honor, a sense of courage, and a commitment to something greater than themselves."
The Navy's current ads began appearing last year as the service was in the midst of developing a new "maritime strategy" that emphasizes the importance of humanitarian missions in building alliances around the world. The strategy has been widely interpreted as an attempt by Navy leaders to assert the service's relevance in the midst of land wars being fought mostly by the Army and Marines.
Donald and Capt. Tom Buterbaugh, advertising and marketing director for the Navy Recruiting Command, said the humanitarian-themed ads are intended to supplement rather than replace the Navy's traditional recruiting appeals.
Like the other military branches, the Navy still devotes a large share of its ad budget - which will total $186 million this year - to promoting the job training and college aid it provides. It also is continuing to run commercials that show off fighter aircraft, submarines and aircraft carriers as well as a variety of futuristic weapons.
Because Navy installations are located mostly along the coast, many potential recruits have little sense of the range of the service's missions, Buterbaugh said. The humanitarian ads are "designed to show the myriad of things we do," he said.
Dale Eisman, (703) 913-9872, dale.eisman@pilotonline.com
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Ratings
Aren't ratings gathered by polling people? If people still believe in Polls, they are truly in denial. It has been proved polls don't mean squat. JMO
Unhealth obsession
I'm sure you can provide proof of your babbling Richard. As far as the 66%, unless you watch nothing but fox news you would know Bush's approval rating.
Unhealthy Obsession
LMAO..............66% of the Democraps maybe. The obsessive compulsive Bush haters in America have been giving aid and comfort to the Islamic terrorists and insurgents who want to make Iraq a theocratic Islamic state run by a group cloned from the Taliban. The encouragement these Islamic goons derive from the bleatings of the left in this country might be your most prominent cause for the level of insurgency that exists in Iraq today.
"Unhealthy obsession of Bush/Cheney/Rove"
Not at all. In fact I'm with the 66% who believe the same things. If George Bush was a Democrat he would have been impeached years ago. Do I like George Bush/Cheney/Rove, absolutely not. This country has been lied to far too long by this administration and you would have to be deaf, dumb and blind to not see it.
Unhealthy Obsession
georges, you have a severely unhealthy obsession with your hatred toward Bush/Chaney/Rove. Please be ever mindful that when the intelligence was presented to the President, the very same intelligence was submitted to the Senate and the House. Besides, what valid proof has been submitted to substantiate your allegations. I hate war as well, and, yes, this war has been grievously mishandled. But I place full blame on the mismanagement on both of our political parties for not showing the courage or the fortitude to stand together as a united entity until the conflict has been resolved. The democrats have done nothing but impede and usurp the executive powers as defined by the Constitution of the United States (you should read it sometime. It's quite fascinating to find out just how far off the page we have come since 1860.) The Constitution draws specific lines that both sides have encroached on in varying degrees. I was at the tip of the spear when President Clinton launched the Kosovo offensive. Now, you talk about lies and unconstitutional decisions. His claims of genocide were greatly exaggerated and he had no problem compromising US sovereignty to the unholy UN.
Freedom of speech isnt Free
It makes me very proud to know that all of these folks voicing their opinions are allowed to because of the ultimate sacrifices of the millions of men and women who have served their country to allow these individuals to bash our president and ultimately our servicemen and women around the world. Lets take a moment and thank those past, present and future members of our military for serving this great nation. On a side note visit a local Navy recruiter today to continue the excellent tradition of serving with pride.
Bush had all the permission he needed, mine.
Thanks to the resolve of George Bush we are fighting Islamic terrorism over there instead of here. Yes, sadly, American troops are dying. That happens in a war, and we are damned sure in a war. It is a war we are winning, and it is a war the Democrats will gladly sabotage with their lies and demagoguery if it means they get to unseat George Bush and return to power.
It's an all voluntary service, get it? You aren't neeeded. Tie a kerosene rag around your ankle to keep the ants off your candy ass.
A message to the "hate bush" stooges
First if you think Saddam didn't aid terrorists, enter "Abu Abbas" into any search engine.
Second, think there were no WMD's? Write your U S Senator, ask him how many chemical and nerve agent weapons have been recoverd in Iraq, he knows, as of 2006 over 500 had. Oh yeah, they were degraded, yep, they sure were, they degrade about 10 minutes after you mix them, and you don't mix them until you're ready to use them.
What it all comes down to is political power. Democrats will sell us out to our enemies as long as they are left to serve as task master and tax collector.
Heres a word for democrats and thier "hate bush" stooges: Dhimmitude. It's an islamic word meaning slavery, it's your future unless you fight.
Against Islamic fundamentalism every fight is a fight to the death.
They are prepared for a 100 year war, it's only been seven years, and you spinless weasels are already whining, you don't deserve to be free.
Oh, one last question. Would you rather fight our enemies in Iraq or here?
Just_my_opinion
Please read it again I didn't say the 9/11 Commission said Bush lied, but they did say the information given by Bush/Cheney/Rove was not accurate and in most cases over exagerated, and there was little to no evidence for going to war with Iraq as they had indicated. I'm the one that said Bush LIED!
Back to the topic: Recruting is down. Whatever it takes to get enlisted men and women, as long as it's honest, is something this country desperately needs. Our current military forces have been pushed to the limit. We have to do something to protect our own country on our own shores. The question we should be asking is WHY our enlistment is down? Why are our young men and women not willing to enlist? My guess, is the Bush/Cheney/Rove war of lies. We have all but forgotten why we are even in Iraq, but we read and hear the tragedy of life with our own troops. The majority of this coutry does not support Bush, and they are not willing to die for HIM.
What happens if we leave??
What happens to Iraq if we pull out? Unfortunately there are those out there who are naive enough to think the conflict will stop. Or possibly that it will continue and be contained inside the Iraq borders? WAKE UP!!! The surge is working...violence is fallen drastically. If we leave, thousands of innocents will be slaughtered and the region will become much more volatile than it already is; and we will find ourselves back there in no time. Unfortunately...there is no better alternative than to stay...we need to finish what we started. We must stay and complete the mission in Iraq. Global economics and global security are at stake if we do not.
The rule of holes
Most nations in the "Coalition of the Willing" are no longer willing or in the process of removing their troops. USA, and a greatly diminished force of Brits and Aussies are all that remains. Injecting yourself in the middle of a civil war is like wearing a "Kick Me" sign. I don't understand how any additional troop deaths or maiming is going to make this situation better. Plus, when we leave, and eventually we will have to leave, we will have just delayed the inevitable. The rule of holes said that when you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you should do is to stop digging! Bush lied? Well look at who is willing to continue to die.
must have missed it
Sorry, but I don't recall the 9-11 comission report saying Bush lied. Please direct me to that.
Thanks.
jmo
Anti war group
For all you that continue to bash the president please ask yourself these questions
1. Do you recieve the same inteligence as the president or do you base your opinion on what you here on the news?
2. Have you been drafted to fight in Iraq?
3. How many of your family members have died due to a terrorist in this country since we invaded iraq?
The way I see it, the president has much more information that you to base his decisions and since you have not been forced to fight this war and none of your relatives have died due to a terrorist attack in this country since 2003 I would say he is doing a good job.
If your claim is that someone you know died fighting this war, remeber they volunteered to serve.
Psychobushbabble
Try reading the 9/11 Commission Report, you might very wll learn something. Repeating, I support our troops because they are there, but I do not, have not, and will not support the Bush/Cheney/Rove war of lies or the insanity of their rhetoric. You my friend can follow them like a deaf, dumb and blind sheep to the slaughter.
I don't like it!
It is not in my nature to question the Armed Forces but I will say this new slogan makes me uneasy. When America is defended the world is inherently helped in my opinion. I don't doubt that intelligence is wrong at times and I don't doubt that the Brass makes decisions that are less than the best at times; after all they are human. Considering those thoughts I think the Navy should concentrate on marketing theirselves as defenders of America. Those with an altruistic need should join the Peace Corp.
PSYCHOBABBLE II
(Continued from Previous Post)
It is wholly American to engage in dialogue with others and to at times disagree with one another in an effort to seek the truth.The country is at war, people are dying, and Americans are quite unsettled about these matters. The Iraq War, it's causes, justifications/non justifications will be debated for the next half century and more. Agreeably so. Having said that, please argue your perspective, concerning such a matter of great importance, in a somewhat intelligible manner versus the emotional,factless, childish rhetoric we hear 18 year olds babble on the street.
PSYCHOBABBLE
"Of course I'm proud of our troops, but I'm not proud of this war based on one lie after another with no exit stragety whatsoever and a military that was unprepared."- Previous Qoute
The War is based off of lies?! Please tell me you have the ability to conjure and articulate your arguement in a more rational manner.
WHAT WAS the war fought over?
WMDS (ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS FOR WAR/LATER DISCREDITED/ SMALL AMOUNTS OF LOW QUALITY WMDS FOUND/NO STOCKPILES)
IRAQI CONNECTIONS TO AL QAIDA GOING BACK TO 1993 (NO 9/11 CONNECTION PROVEN)VIOLATION OF 17 UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTONS
IRAQI GOVT FIRED AT US JETS OVER 7,000 TIMES WHILE PATROLLING NO FLY ZONE/IRAQI GOVT ATTEMPTED TO KILL FORMER US PRESIDENT. IRAQ GOVERNMENT AIDED, ABETTED,HOUSED AND FUNDED KNOWN AL QAIDA MEMBERS (INCLUDING ONE OF 1993 WTC BOMBERS)/IRAQI GOVT IMPLEMENTED THE CORRUPT UN OIL FOR FOOD PROGRAM WHERE BRITISH, FRENCH,SAUDI, AND RUSSIAN POLITICIANS PROFITED HEAVILY.(France and Russia later go on to STRONGLY OPPOSE INVASION?)SUSPECTED AL QAIDA FRONT COMPANIES RECEIVED MONEY FROM THE OIL FOR FOOD PROGRAM.It is wholly American to engage in dialogue with others and to at times disagree with one another in an effort
And it starts
The lies coming out now to recruit our young men and women who are standing up and saying NO to the lie machine that exists in Washington right now is appalling. There is no truth in this. Sure we go on humanitarian aid missions, but they forget to mention that they throw those in on the heels of returning from 6 and 7 mo. deployments from the Med. How about the fact that sailors who did NOT want to be ground pounders because they don't want to come home in a coffin are now being sent to supplement man power on the ground in a war that many do not support. For those of you who say the military goes to war and people don't want to fight, I would like to remind you of the spike in service enlistment in all branches following the aftermath of 9/11. The people of this country will gladly take up arms against those who have done us harm but even those people draw the line at fighting an illegal war. I can only hope the current administration is eventually brought to justice over the crimes they have committed.
Oops, wrong country!
Mr. Price's comments would be right on if George Bush would have attacked the country that attacked us. However, 17 of the 19 attackers on the 9-11 plane that hit the World Trade Center were from Saudi Arabia. None on any plane were from Iraq. Iraq had nothing to do what so ever with 9-11. So ask yourself, why are our troops fighting and dying there? Getting out of Bush's war is not going to be easy, but there is no justification to continue a mistake for valor or false patriotism
"He took the fight to them"????
He took the fight to the wrong country and should have been after Bin Laden, not Saddam. Bin Laden bombed NY not Saddam. I know how this arguement goes! The Obama CULT HAVOC scares me to death and it should scare you. Wait until the Swift Boat crowd get's their hand on him and he won't know which way is up. Obama has no voting record to argue, because the man doesn't even vote on important issues. Of course I'm proud of our troops, but I'm not proud of this war based on one lie after another with no exit stragety whatsoever and a military that was unprepared. Our troops are coming home dead, wouded and emotionally scared for life not to mention the Iraqi population and other countries death toll. The master mind's of this war was Cheney and Rove all in the name of the almighty dollar, and George Bush didn't have the sense to see it, but he kept up the defense of it until there really is no defense for it, and keeps lining his pockets also. "Mission Accomplished"!