Recruiting has always been an interest of mine - others may want sniper or JTF, I want advertising! 8)
Anyways, some ideas I've had.
Ads alone won't do it, direct advertising needs to be closely tied to a wide ranging and ongoing promotional campaign that uses different media forms, outlets, and approaches.
1) Documentary-Style TV shows - TDV is an excellent start, but this should be expanded and brought more into the mainstream. One idea I had was to have a TV crew embed itself in a unit from the moment its tagged for deployment, through build-up, the operation, and the return and produce a multi-episode documentary series from that. Have the crew stick closely to a few characters - say, an infantry section, a coyote recce crew, the cook on the camp and maybe a medical team or something, and have each episode focus on one aspect - build up trg, or families preparing for a roto, or a day in the life of a section commander, whatever.
2) Expose-style "insider" shows, say let a Global or CBC crew do a special, or a series of specials, on JTF2. Or, expand the concept and called it "The Canadian Forces you never knew existed" and do JTF, Pathfinder, Clearance Divers, etc. Of course opsec an dpersec would be observed, but I believe that allowing access to something like JTF would allow the CF to call a lot of shots in the production of the show.
With the above two ideas, my premise is that we want the media to do the work for us. And the public needs to be better educated about the Army in general.
3) Appearances by proffessional display teams (display, not recruiting) at events, universities, across Canada, a mobile high-profile team. Weapons, vehicles, demonstrations of various skills. I believe the Brits use such teams to great effectiveness. The idea is to give a human face to the CF beyond someone answering questions behind a desk.
4) Continue the promotion of exercises with the media, get local attention, the usual stuff, which I think the CF has done a fairly good job so far.
5) And finally, the recruiting ads... Essential to the campaign, as they tie it all down.
One concept: a soldier sits on a stool, plain background, wearing DEUs, medals - a 'poster person'. I picture a series of these ads, using a ariety of ranks and experiences to appeal to different demographics - for example, an older, rough Warrant or a young, hardcore Cpl-type. They would give a brief description of their careers - courses and deployments really, emphasizing how tough, challenging the Army is. Fade out to short videos showing whats being described - Jump course, Medak Pocket, East Timor, whatever. Tough training, exciting operations in foreign place you only hear of on the news, and responsibility all achieved by a young age is the main message. Simplicity and capturing the audience with impressive resumes is the key. Low hype.
Second concept: Keep it to the point, use images, videos, and music to make a relatively short high-intensity ad. Fast paced cool looking scenes, music that gets the average young person pumped up - and then just a CF logo, a phone number, and a webpage. Maybe even make it a quick historical build up, from Vimy to Afghanistan. No voice over, no talking, no descriptions. Just enough for a 17 yr old to "that looks cool!"
The idea with these ads is to get them interested, not give them a rundown of options and opportunities. Once their in the door, its half the battle.
Two questions for the forum - what do people think of making a stint as a recruiter a requirement for promotion, as the USMC does? And any ideas for a new, better Army/CF catch-phrase?
