I detest the Navy’s new ad campaign TV commercials which features a sci-fi “Transformer”-type aircraft full of nurses and doctors saving flood victims and handing out bottled water… Evian please.
All that’s missing is a fluffy kitten.
And the tag line?“America’s Navy.. A Global Force for Good.”
Puke.
But then what do you expect when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, “Mommy” Mike Mullen, an admiral so giddy over paving the way for openly gay sailors to help destroy the world’s premier navy, that I expect him to appear at the next Gay Rights parade in San Fran.
That is he over there, with his Cub Scout salute and his cover askew; looks gay to me.
Mullen has said “We treat each other (gays)with respect or we find another place to work. Period.”
That’s right, Gunny; you don’t like this, don’t let the door hit you in the six. We’re making room by getting rid of you for seamen recruits with the political agenda to turn then Navy into The Village People. They already have their own marketing tool.
The Navy’s new buzz phrase is just one more “chickification” of our military specifically, and our society in general. “Global Force for Good” replaces the “Accelerate Your Life” campaign which was even more lame and could easily have been used for DeVry University… same with the Army’s “Be All You Can Be” and “Army of One.”
You get the trend here….?
The individual is stressed over the unit and the mission.
Our military is answering the question that should not be asked by recruits in the first place–”What’s in it for me?”
Our political-military is rewriting history: “Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you.”
But to my shipmates’ credit… the Navy Times reports that it has received 56 e-mails from readers, and all but six disliked the new slogan.
“This bumper-sticker jingle would look good on a flower-toting cart, but when an [aircraft carrier] that displaces over 100,000 tons pulls up off your coast, generally the thought is, ‘Oh crap, the U.S. Navy is here,’” said Information Specialist 1st Class Joshua Forman, 2nd Fleet Military Intelligence Operations Center.
“Some people disliked the slogan for practical reasons: “This is not ‘America’s Navy.’ It is the United States Navy … America encompasses two continents. The United States is located in just one. Tell them to get it right,” said retired Lt. Cmdr. Bill Jones.”
And what does it cost to “re-brand” the United States Navy and put it in a Volkswagen mini-bus?
“Campbell-Ewald, the Navy’s main advertising agency since 2000, was awarded its third five-year contract in May, worth as much as $800 million, partly on the strength of its “A global force for good” re-branding concept. The company and Recruiting Command have enough evidence that convinces them today’s young people will respond to an appeal to a higher purpose.”
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A “higher purpose” you latte-drinking metrosexual?
There is no higher purpose than serving your nation honorably, and hopefully getting the chance to kill some of the enemy during your career.
And yet, onboard the Navy’s website, you’ll find this…. Yea!! UPS stands on guard for you.
Hey, all hands… and let’s not forget to celebrate Women’s History Month…. which is right before Take Your Daughter to Work Day and just after Secretary’s Day.
No… not Navy Month or Military History Month or Large-caliber Weapons Month.
What about Medal of Honor Month…. National Medal of Honor Day was 25 March, but you won’t find that in the Navy budget line items.
No… for your tax dollars you get: CHICK MONTH!! Which is just before Black History Month and just After Hispanic History Month… and I’m laying 10 to 1 that Muslim History Month is only one Obama re-election away.
Naturally, all the colors of the rainbow (rainbow… get it?) are prominently displayed in the Navy ads… most of the females are of those carefully chosen models who appear to be a mixture of Mediterranean, Black, Oriental… somewhat exotic like the gal above.
This is what you need when build and maintain a focused, dedicated, cohesive military force?… diversity, separate agendas, groups and sub-groups within the group?
Can Puerto Rican lesbian defrocked nuns, and trannys be far behind?
“…The more effeminate and debauched the people are, the more they are fitted for an absolute and tyrannical government.” –Charles Thomson, Secretary to First Continental Congress
But thank God and 230 years of hard as nails Americans, there still is a Marine Corps.
The Corps has perfected the negative sell…. “… you can’t make it here, go away and don’t bother us.”
Marine Corps Medal of Honor Recipient Hershel Woodrow “Woody” Williams was rejected twice by a recruiter because he was too short. He refused to take no for an answer.
Less than two years later he helped turn the tide in one of the Corps’ most pivotal battles.
It will again my distinct privilege to break bread with Woody on Tuesday… the last survivor of 22 Marine and five Navy MOH Recipients cited for heroism on for Iwo Jima. (I’ll post through next week on our annual Medal of Honor Weekend here in Gainesville… now in its 11th year. This year we are hosting 14 Recipients.)
Over the years the Corps has used variations of the “you’re not good enough” theme: “First to Fight”, ”We Didn’t Promise you a Rose Garden”, “The Few The Proud The Marines”, “Duty… Honor… Country.” 
The Corps has maintained this simple recruiting (marketing) concept that has worked since Smedley Darlington Butler was a private, and before; we’re just looking for a small number of dedicated individuals who are full of testosterone, possess a clear mind, and above all, are willing to use maximum violence to kill our enemies.
Meanwhile, other branches do a disservice to their troops by painting them as Super Peace Corps Volunteers helping out natural disaster victims.
“Humanitarian missions”, “Peace keepers”. Crap.
The Corps will never run an ad that suggests someone join for college money, or to “be all you can be”.
The Corps offers one thing–you can be a Marine if you can hack it; if you doubt yourself, don’t take up the nice recruiter’s time.
Semper Fi… .
even if the other. Er Wei, who has disgraced, not looked down on the other side.
Posted by: Retro Jordans | June 04, 2012 at 07:29 PM
The personal cardiologist sent all 34 Nba teams telling them cheap hats that they appeared to be scientifically safe and sound to experience.
Posted by: cheap hats | May 13, 2012 at 09:29 PM
You've no doubt heard the old saying that "The Marines are a department of the Navy--the Men's Department." That is especially true now.
chicopanther
Posted by: chicopanther | April 08, 2011 at 06:45 AM
You touched a subject I've been complaining about since I got involved in the netherworld of advertising -- money spent on it.
It's insane how much these guys get paid for sitting around thinking up new ad campaigns. The Navy's advertising has been worse than broken for over a decade; they're still trying to find their place and a cohesive message that doesn't change every two or three years.
Everyone knows the Marines' slogan. Most know the Army's slogans. No one knows much of anything about the Navy because of their schizophrenic advertising methods.
A Global Force For Good...to the tune of $800 million. Wonder how many rounds that could have bought.
I don't mind the new slogan so much. At least it's not "A Global Force For Change."
The Marine Corps' advertising is effective because it appeals to a certain type of person.
Folks like us would definitely want to appeal to people's patriotism and sense of country as a reason to enlist. Unfortunately, that'll take a complete revision of much of the nation's collective conscience. Kids have a sense of it, but they don't really know why or how it got there. I can't blame the Navy -- or any company (for these purposes, the services are a business with a product to sell) for appealing to that which people will identify.
Of course, old salts from the Navy will be pissed about the campaign. They're different than civilians. They know more about their service and they know what it means. Kids don't know anything about it except maybe some old stories from their grandparents' Vietnam service -- those who'll talk about it, at least.
If I was recruiting people who were already enlisted, of course the advertising campaign would be geared more toward them...but it ain't.
Posted by: Ninja R | April 03, 2011 at 03:03 PM