Uncle Sam Ups Ante For Recruiting Effort

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

ADWEEK -- Between the wars in Afghanistan (news - web sites) and Iraq (news - web sites) and a wave of retirements set to begin in just three years, ad spending on federal job recruitment is on the rise and Uncle Sam, like other marketers, is employing increasingly sophisticated tactics.

Take the U.S. Army, which uses a promotional online video game, "America's Army," as a recruitment tool. In the game, the combatant takes on a black-garbed enemy and, at times, other online players dressed as U.S. soldiers, preparing players for the risks of what appears to be friendly fire.

~snip~

In fact, Uncle Sam is now a larger marketer than Unilever and, as the No. 34 U.S. advertiser in 2003, just behind McDonald's. Federal ad spending peaked at $680 million in the boom year of 2000, but underwent a recessionary decline in 2001. So far this year, concern about a ballooning deficit hasn't stemmed the flow.

~snip~

In the civilian departments, lots of little ad accounts have bloomed in the last decade. In Clinton's first term, there were 215 separate ad campaigns recorded by CMR. Under Bush, there have been 323. "There are a lot of those accounts out there that I think will make a significant increase in the amount of money being spent on government advertising," said the 4A's Dove.

More:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=628&e=1&u=/adweek/20041203/ad_bpiaw/unclesamupsanteforrecruitingeffort

[DoNotRefill]

1. If they want more recruits...

they should pay people a living wage.

[uppityperson]

2. Make it more professional instead of a paying dying wage

[oneold1-4u]

3. Just take it or we take you anyway

Low pay with the threat of death. Very little benefits if you make it back. No vets. job preference on return. No personal insurance or family medical offered after coming home from "days of death" in Iraq. If you don't come home, the 250grand is at least the value of a good job of 2 years here!
So now they give you childish games!! A good score will never be a win!

[Hosnon]

4. Where is the online video game...I checked goarmy.com and it's not there.

[bullimiami]

5. www.americasarmy.com

the 'official' us army video game....

[bin.dare]

6. current total budget to recruit is $3.5 billion ...

per year, to become $4 billion per year in 2007.
The quoted numbers were just for advertizing.