They're running one of those Army ads during the NCAA basketball game tonight. Lots of cool looking action shots, then the voice over:You made them strong.
We'll make them Army strong.
As though joining up was a good thing. They run those ads during the basketball game because they figure they have a heavy demographic of young, impressionable, desperate young men in search of something to do now that their hoop dreams are ending. Those ads probably never run during the financial shows or some high-brow deal over on MSNBC. Know your audience. The ad, however, could have just as easily said:We'll make them Army strong.
You made them strong.
We'll get them blown up in a tank.
We'll get them blown up in a tank.
So, then I start wondering. The Army must be up against it on the popularity front right now. War is a hard sell, especially when the images come home every night. By now, the advertising is probably a huge part of their [our] budget. So much so, that they have taken to appealing to the largest segment of potentially drunk and impressionable sports fans anywhere.
The NASCAR fans.
To the right is the Oh-One U.S. Army Chevrolet, driven on most days by Mark Martin.
The Army spends 6% of its annual $212 million dollar advertising budget on racing.
Other branches of the military have NASCAR rides, too. They spend anywhere from a few million to $15 million on the teams. I will work under the assumption that the Army car is the one with the biggest budget, primarily because it is the most successful.
Meanwhile, the men and women in the Middle East have trouble getting an armoured vehicle. Ironic.
I'm still trying to figure out if it's necessary to spend taxpayer dollars on the sponsorship of a race car. It's pretty good advertising, but I'm not sure I want my "fair share" being used to needlessly consume fossil fuels in the name of providing entertainment for people who may not otherwise wish to join. Whether or not the typical NASCAR fan is Army-sympathetic may not be the issue.
The issue may be that a recent Harris poll said that 48% of NASCAR fans are women. Is the Army trying to kill two birds here? Sports and women. Where are they going to get better bang for their buck?
It might be time to pick another sport, girls. They're on to you.
The NASCAR fans.
To the right is the Oh-One U.S. Army Chevrolet, driven on most days by Mark Martin.
The Army spends 6% of its annual $212 million dollar advertising budget on racing.
Other branches of the military have NASCAR rides, too. They spend anywhere from a few million to $15 million on the teams. I will work under the assumption that the Army car is the one with the biggest budget, primarily because it is the most successful.
Meanwhile, the men and women in the Middle East have trouble getting an armoured vehicle. Ironic.
I'm still trying to figure out if it's necessary to spend taxpayer dollars on the sponsorship of a race car. It's pretty good advertising, but I'm not sure I want my "fair share" being used to needlessly consume fossil fuels in the name of providing entertainment for people who may not otherwise wish to join. Whether or not the typical NASCAR fan is Army-sympathetic may not be the issue.
The issue may be that a recent Harris poll said that 48% of NASCAR fans are women. Is the Army trying to kill two birds here? Sports and women. Where are they going to get better bang for their buck?
In case anyone is keeping track, that's two intentional puns in the last two sentences.
The thing of it is, that the cynical worst-case scenario guy inside thinks that they are intentionally targeting women, who may otherwise not have exposure to their marketing approach.It might be time to pick another sport, girls. They're on to you.
3 comments:
You beat me too it once again Anthony!! After I read the part about the 212 million budget my first thought was "hello use that to better arm your troops...every one knows there is an Army!! " I don't understand the advertising at least not THAT much of a budget!!
This deserves a WTF!?
WTF indeed. Misplaced priorities at the very least.
I can understand the TV ads and some of the print stuff, extolling the virtues of a career in the service - if you're lucky enough to survive.
But the race car baffles me.
the race car is there best advertising idea EVER! Especially now that they got one of the most popular drivers. Everyone may not love Martin, but I can guarantee that no one hates him.
And its close to free advertising really. You see the Army Car in races for 4 hours, on ESPN highlights, on Speed Channel during practice, in interviews with Martin, in your newspaper sports section. Its all sublimal.
bastards
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