Sometime ago, I offered some suggestions on building the Army brand. Needless to say, Army’s CMO, Edward Walters has not taken my advice, the Army would do very well to team up with Spike TV for a basic training reality show (you heard it hear first, call me Mr. Walters)! He has, however, established a few new wrinkles in the way the Army brand is perceived.
Anyone my age, or older can remember the old recruiting offices that were found in strip malls. There was a some uniformed sergeant telling you how wonderful the military is. When I entered this office, they told me I would build schools and save the world. At the age of 17, I believed it (and for the most part I still do) and decided to join. The new Army has taken a different approach, it has built a recruiting center in the an actual retail mall!
The old enviroment is gone, now there are civilians and Army personal with khakis and polos telling possible recruits about the military. Gone are the old VHS with outdated video which have been replaced with high-tech, LCD screens with action packed video. Interactive displays offer many different angles of being in the former Army of One (now Army Strong).
According to Edward Walters, this site is not a recruiting center, but an area for people to learn more about the Army. With about $12 million of tax payer money the Army plans to shift more money to experimental marketing, and less on sponsorships. Think about it, the Army is building excitement like The NFL Experience, ESPN Zone, or Guitar Hero. Building potential brand evangelists could pay great dividends in the long run, but will the Army be able to pull it off? The experience does not stop at the store in Philadelphia, but you can also experience being a solider at Six Flags or even on your XBOX. The NFL faced a very similar challenge as it tried to build its product, and building the experience has been the key to it’s overwhelming success.
The experience isn’t the only thing that the Army is going after. In a new deal with Sears, Roebuck and Co, the Army will begin offering officially licensed Army clothing. While the first brand will be the First Infantry Division (3rd ID should have that spot), it appears to be another great idea. While I am not sure that Sears is the best place to offer this type of clothing (what about Wal-Mart or Target) it is a great move.
Overall, the Army is making great strides to improve its image. While the jury is still out, I believe that building the Army brand with experience will go a long way in not only recruiting new soliders, but building the perception of our troops, and their mission. I will continue to wait on the call about that reality show, it will make great TV!
Posted by James Seay 
