The Chief of Military Personnel for the Canadian Forces says that soldiers dying in Afghanistan has not deterred people from signing up, and in fact recruitment has increased 25 per cent thanks new commercials being run on Canadian television. You can see the main ad here and other related recruiting media here.
The gritty ads depict Canadian soldiers in combat and rescue operations with haunting background music. The commercials have been controversial but I find them much better than the old ones. Rather than trying to pander to a pacifist public who pines for a do-gooder military this new campaign actually targets the kind of people that will sign up. I happen to know the new PR director and it is nice to see DND start to take its advertising as serious as other countries.
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COMMENTS / 12 COMMENTS
Comparing Australian and Canadian Recruitment Ads at Forward Deployed added these pithy words on Sep 06 07 at 12:15 am[...] I think the ADF could learn something from the Canadian military where ads like this one have increased recruitment by 25%. The Canadians were able to do this because instead of pandering to people who [...]
Kevin added these pithy words on 08 Mar 07 at 6:39 amDamn canucks. That was better than the US Army’s recruiting logo….Army Strong..Weak
Aceface added these pithy words on 08 Mar 07 at 11:41 am“Rather than trying to pander to a pacifist public who pines for a do-gooder military this new campaign actually targets the kind of people that will sign up. ”
That sure does makes me think about JSDF recruit CM.
subadei added these pithy words on 08 Mar 07 at 10:26 pmCanadian Islamic Congress? Is that something along the lines of our own Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR?)
As for the advert, pretty impressive and brave. The wise decision to nix “fight terror” likely staved off the anti-Iraq war crowd a bit.
lirelou added these pithy words on 08 Mar 07 at 11:47 pmFoncez en avant, les canadiens! Recruiting logo…Army Strong…metreosexual. They should have recruited the village people to pitch it. Eunichs rule PERSCOM.
Joe added these pithy words on 09 Mar 07 at 12:11 amI really like that ad, for precisely the reasons you mention. It’s right to the point, and it will get the right people involved in the CF.
Mutantfrog added these pithy words on 09 Mar 07 at 2:14 amI think both supporters and opponents of the military would completely agree that the last thing anyone wants is people signing up for the military without knowing what they are getting into. Truth in advertising is critical for people to make informed decisions about everything from minor decisions like their toothpaste brand to the largest ones, like signing up for the armed forces.
Aceface added these pithy words on 09 Mar 07 at 2:30 amSo there are some truth in the JMSDF CF.
They are pretty much boyscouts in the sea!
ckrisz added these pithy words on 09 Mar 07 at 9:06 amHell, that’s any navy—- BUD/S graduates excepted.
Eddie added these pithy words on 11 Mar 07 at 12:51 amDon’t forget the Fleet Marine Force sailors or the IA sailors either.
Excellent ad campaign for Canada’s armed forces. If it reflects the attitude of the leadership as well, then Canada’s armed forces have a fighting chance in the face of the incredible budgetary limitations placed upon it.
Eddie added these pithy words on 11 Mar 07 at 12:53 amOh, I neglect to mention that I saw this ad last month while visiting Vancouver & Vancouver Island… having no knowledge of the ads in the past, I just thought they were pretty bad ass compared to the Army and Marine Corps ads in the states.
