America’s Army is Rated ‘T’ for Teen
As you probably know, the US military is having trouble recruiting. Various strategies include massive ad campaigns, video games, and aggressive campus presences. While working at a Native American boarding school, I recall classes getting canceled so students could watch the Air Force rock band perform in the gym. For me it was a bit like Spinal Tap, but the kids seemed to enjoy the covers of southern rock songs played by crew-cut donning soldiers in jumpers. In response there are a number of organizations who are engaging in “counter recruitment.” Meanwhile, there is the latest campaign, Army Strong.
Frankly I’m baffled by the new Army slogan, “Army Strong.” It strangely alludes to the Italian roots of “fascism”:
The word fascism stems from the Italian word fascio (plural: fasci), which may mean bundle, as in a political or militant group, or a nation. The term also comes from the fasces (rods bundled around an axe), which was an ancient Roman symbol of the authority of magistrates. The symbolism of the fasces suggested strength through unity; a single rod is easily broken, while the bundle is very difficult to break. (from Wikipedia)
Thankfully, AdAge has a great review of the recent ad campaign, which points out the obvious. The current TV ad completely ignores the “elephant in the room,” war.
Advertising Age:
The “get over yourself” line is fantastic. And the rest minimally does its job of portraying Army service as selfless and heroic. What it doesn’t do is acknowledge the elephant in the room. Save for one flashing image in the 60-second of a medic placing his stethoscope to the chest of a healthy-looking Iraqi boy, there is not the slightest reference to wartime. The strength message scans as far as it goes, but is drowned out by the deafening silence about violent reality.
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