Army National Guard

Communicating a Dual Mission to a New Audience.

Challenge
Lack of awareness about the Army National Guard's dual military mission and declining recruitment numbers.

  • Army National Guard faced difficulties communicating its unique dual military mission to 17–24-year-old prospects who were unfamiliar with the organization.

  • Young adults were unclear about the dual mission, where members serve part-time to support federal security needs and respond to state-level emergencies.

  • The Guard needed to appeal to diverse segments within the youth market, each with different priorities and benefit preferences.

  • Recruitment strategies needed modernization to effectively reach young adults during their critical decision-making periods about their future.

Objective
Increase recruitment of new members by enhancing brand awareness and implementing a comprehensive marketing strategy that effectively communicates the Guard's unique value proposition. Component goals included:

  • Communicate the Army National Guard's dual military mission to 17–24-year-old prospects.

  • Create a strong integrated advertising campaign showcasing how the Army National Guard offers part-time service to country and community.

  • Develop targeted messaging that resonates with different segments of young adults.

  • Maximize awareness and qualified lead generation through strategic media placement.

Solution
After conducting extensive research into the target audience's preferences and behaviors, our team implemented a multifaceted marketing approach that included various channels and tactics tailored to the diverse youth market.

  • Marketing Research: We conducted an audience segmentation study that identified four unique market segments within the Army Guard's target audience. This research revealed that benefit preferences vary based on current life situations, requiring diverse messaging strategies rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

  • Brand Development & Creative Services: We redesigned and reenergized the National Guard brand, creating new design concepts and layouts for print, interactive and outdoor media while building upon the equity of the Guard's red, white and blue color scheme and American flag logo. We developed comprehensive style manuals to ensure consistent branding across national and state-level advertising efforts.

  • Radio & Television Production: We wrote, produced and distributed the "Defining Moments" television and radio campaign to emphasize the Army Guard's service to country and community. Each spot featured young, Army National Guard members from multiple backgrounds reflecting on how particular domestic missions became life-changing moments. The campaign was distributed through the Non-Commercial Sustaining Announcement (NCSA) program, reaching radio and television stations nationwide in both English and Spanish.

  • Media Planning & Placement: We implemented a strategic media mix to achieve maximum awareness and qualified lead generation. This included:

    • Youth-oriented gaming and student-athlete outreach

    • Career and college media targeting high school and college students

    • A 360-degree media partnership with Teen Vogue, including print ads, custom advertorials, digital banners and sponsorships

    • A theater-centric campaign involving Warner Brothers's "Man of Steel" film to increase understanding of the part-time service concept

  • In-School Events: LMO established the "Engineering Education" program to connect with high school students interested in STEM fields, providing branded curriculum and creating opportunities for recruiters to highlight engineering career opportunities in the Guard.

  • Direct Mail: We designed National direct mail campaigns to generate prequalified leads for the Army National Guard's Recruiting and Retention Force. These highly personalized packages were strategically timed to arrive at critical decision-making moments.

  • Lead Processing & Fulfillment: Our specialists provided comprehensive back-end support for all national advertising and marketing efforts, including lead receipt, pre-screening/qualification, direct hand-off and file uploads from multiple sources.

  • Call Center Operations: Our dedicated team fielded incoming calls and made outbound calls to qualify prospective leads and connect them with local recruiters, following detailed scripts to pre-screen leads according to Army Guard regulations.

  • Email Marketing: We sent personalized follow-up emails to all leads who provided valid email addresses, thanking them for their interest and providing local recruiter contact information. These emails featured variable imagery and content based on multiple factors, resulting in over 3,200 possible email versions.

  • Social Media Strategy: Our experts developed a comprehensive social media program across eight major platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Myspace, Instagram, Tumblr, Google+, Vine), offering prospects a way to explore and communicate with the Guard, showcasing soldier stories and providing a space for current and former soldiers to share authentic Guard experiences.

Results:

  • Successfully met annual recruiting and retention numbers throughout the campaign period.

  • Extended reach to 98% of radio and television stations nationwide through the NCSA program.

  • Delivered over 1,000 state-specific creative executions.

  • Established meaningful connections with the target audience through strategic media partnerships and integrated campaigns. Personalized direct mail packages reached over 90% of the target audience.

  • Created a cohesive brand identity across all marketing channels.

  • Effectively segmented and targeted messaging to diverse groups within the youth market.

  • Provided comprehensive support for lead generation and recruitment efforts.

Through LMO's strategic research, creative messaging and integrated marketing approach, the Army National Guard successfully enhanced its appeal to young adults, effectively communicated its dual military mission and achieved its recruitment goals.