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Home Front: WoT
ARMY STRONG !!
2006-10-14
HT Blackfive. Or, if the site gets swamped, there's a smaller version on YouTube.
Posted by:lotp

#23  Should read: A strength like NO other,

not: A strength like NONE other.

Other than that a top ad. Sorry for being picky i like to see these things perfect

But it's a great ad. And you are totally right it is about time the armed forces appealed to those who want to FIGHT not those who want to learn a trade for their career.

They do that in Australia, too ... but Howard has just announced an 'encouragement' to school leavers to serve for 12 months.

actually it should be compulsory to get the s***heads off their bums.
Posted by: anon1   2006-10-14 21:08  

#22  Unbelievably awesome!

Now that's a recruitment video!

I sent it to 3 of my friends and myself.

Simply awesome!
Posted by: FOTSGreg   2006-10-14 16:45  

#21  I did 28 years in the Military, 6 in USMC and USMCR and 22 active in US Army, and Army Guard (AGR). This is good stuff and finally gives the Army a look as good as the Marines for recruiting. Somebody finally got it right. Way to go ARMY! Semper Fi!
Posted by: Just About Enough!   2006-10-14 14:41  

#20  Great clip. Should be in the theaters mixed in the previews
Posted by: Frank G   2006-10-14 12:57  

#19  This is much better than Army of One (Clinton Me Generation Redux). It's a wartime warrior pitch. It's a Schoomaker pitch.

This reflects that Rummy is starting to have an effect on the attitudes far into the command of the Army, even in areas like personnel. Attitude adjustment takes a lot of time to percolate from the top down. That's why I'm glad Rummy will serve his full 8 year hitch on active duty. (Best. Sec. Def. in. history. Hands down.).

The Army-Marine thing always makes me smile, as does the Army-Navy thing. I never served and I don't mean to injure the well deserved pride of the member of any service, but this is market segmentation. The Army is appealing to what motivates one kind of kid, the Marines another. From an external objective viewpoint, neither is superior, anymore than Chevrolet is better than Ford, though most have a preference there, too. Thank goodness we aren't all the same. But when the drums begin to roll, my lads, they all seem to do a pretty damn good job. And that's what counts.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-10-14 11:19  

#18  I really like it, but you are right that it is too long for commerical use.

Suppose it is too much to ask for a Hollyweird produced movie of our brave fighting men and women.

Looks like cell phones are the next venue of distribution (which I personally don't like, but...).

Posted by: Captain America   2006-10-14 11:06  

#17  Interesting. I never did get the "Army of one" approach. Broadhead6 what say ye?

When in high school (late 60's) we had a recruitment day where the various service branches did their thing in the auditorium for all the boys. The Marine approach was VERY different from the Army's. The Army recruiter stood and expounded at length on the various skills and schools that could be attended. He was selling it like it was a regular job. The Marine Sgt. marched out to center stage in his dress blues, stood at attention and shouted "If the United States Marine Corps. chooses you, you will report to Parris Island, SC and WILL NOT LIKE IT!!!" and marched off the stage. That was it. It made quite an impact.

I don't recall how good his signup numbers were but I do know the girls mobbed him after the presentation. That fact was not lost on us guys. Maybe that was the whole point. . .
Posted by: GORT   2006-10-14 10:46  

#16  It is long, but look at where it's being seen: online, where the kids actually are -- they don't watch television as much anymore. And it can easily be trimmed to a series of 30 second clips. I hope the Army is going to buy time during the Superbowl.
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-10-14 09:22  

#15  I'd like to see what the ROI is. there's no focus and requires too much reading. compare mand contrast, "the few, the proud. the marines" with "army strong", no contest.
Posted by: Pacific_waters   2006-10-14 08:41  

#14  Great stuff, but at 2:30, isn't it too long for a commercial?
Posted by: Bobby   2006-10-14 08:27  

#13  Next ad:

HULK SMASH!!!
Posted by: Mizzou Mafia   2006-10-14 08:21  

#12  That music is phenomenal. Hell, the whole thing is phenomenal.
Posted by: Mike   2006-10-14 07:53  

#11  Is anybody gonna do the Team America thingy? It fits, heh.
Posted by: .com   2006-10-14 07:40  

#10  On viewing.
DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!
Ima near deaf, but what musik!
Ima have lousy monitor, but what video!

Damn!

Jarhead, time to get on the move. Time to take back the green thingy.
Posted by: Shipman   2006-10-14 07:33  

#9  .com - yes, on both counts. ;-)

Note how earlier ads were aimed at soothing parents as much as inspiring the young men and women to join.

This one is unapologetic and it bypasses the parent thing entirely. It will be interesting to see the response, especially among minority men.

And yes, anon5089, this is an American ad for the American army, again unapologetically so. I think a lot of people will say "it's about damn time!". Backlash against the unremitting antiAmericanism and anti-military drumbeat of the last decade+.
Posted by: lotp   2006-10-14 07:30  

#8  A bit too wierd for my tastes

Damn Joe, it's the new program.
Posted by: Shipman   2006-10-14 07:26  

#7  Great stuff. Hit on all cylinders. Those that "get it" will be exactly the people we want.

Broadhead6 is gonna be of two minds, methinks, lol - when he stops laughing. :-)
Posted by: .com   2006-10-14 07:22  

#6  Interesting ad, through it's very american (IE heavy on sentimentalism through images); I agree armies should "sell" themselves on masculine values; by the way, nowadays the french army is professionalized too, and the latest ad campaing I can remember put the emphasis on... the various trades you can develop while enlisting, on a background of a rescue/humanitarian mission. Not really the same... and the previous one was a "Matrix" rip-off, enuff' said.
Posted by: anonymous5089   2006-10-14 07:21  

#5  The.
Best.
Recruiting.
Commercial.
EVER.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2006-10-14 07:16  

#4  Not sure, but it's such an iconic image ....
Posted by: lotp   2006-10-14 07:04  

#3  Looks great to me. Great soundtrack. Did horizontal ladders finally make a comeback?
Posted by: Besoeker   2006-10-14 06:51  

#2  I'm in my 50s, but I didn't find it wierd at all. The message is clear: being a soldier is a strong thing to be. This will appeal to a lot of young men and women who are tired of the baby boomer victim mentality and a school curriculum consisting mainly of pablum, I think.
Posted by: lotp   2006-10-14 06:39  

#1  A bit too wierd for my tastes, but as long as the concept tested strongly. Slogan does show the Army is aware of the pervasive use of TEXTING amongst Net/tech-saavy Amers + soldiers.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2006-10-14 00:05  

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