Why it's not working. Bob Herbert's column today talks about the tactics used by the military to try and fill the ranks for future deployments to Iraq and other places that the Bunnypants Brigade may want to wreak havoc on for no discernible reason. He finishes with this observation:
With a series of television ads, the Army is also trying to win over what it calls the "influencers," the parents and other adults who have been counseling youngsters to stay away from the military. That campaign was packaged by the Leo Burnett agency, which has the following to say about itself:
"Leo Burnett USA creates ideas that inspire enduring belief for many of the world's most valuable brands and most successful marketers, including McDonald's, Disney, Procter & Gamble, Marlboro, Altoids, Heinz, Kellogg, Nintendo and the U.S. Army."
Well, with the exception of Marlboro perhaps, none of those other Leo Burnett clients listed can almost certainly guarantee your "influencee" will occupy their own hole in the ground, courtesy of said advertiser. Selling Mom and Dad, who probably have had no military service on the idea of letting Johnny or Sally head off to either Baghdad or the Student Union really isn't presenting them with much of a choice; not when Mom and Dad both understand that.
Of course expecting "Truth in Recruiting" from the 1600 Crew is like expecting "Truth" about anything from them. Not gonna happen.
