United States Coast Guard

Raising Awareness of America’s Maritime Mission.

Challenge
The United States Coast Guard (USCG0 faced a Gen Z military recruiting crisis.

  • As of 2020, the Qualified Military Available (QMA) study estimated that only 23% of Americans aged 17–24 met the eligibility requirements for active-duty military service without needing a waiver.

  • Gen Z demonstrated increasing reluctance toward military service, driven by heightened mental health concerns, prolonged exposure to ongoing global conflicts, and a declining perception of the military as a viable or attractive career path.

  • According to data presented at the 2023 JAMRS (Joint Advertising, Market Research & Studies) conference in The Target Population for Military Recruitment, when both eligibility and willingness to serve are considered, the effective recruitment pool shrinks to just 12% of Americans aged 17–24.

Objective
Meet the USCG’s active-duty mission goal. Tactics included:

  • Support the USCG in meeting its annual enlistment goal through strategic media initiatives.

  • Drive awareness, consideration and lead generation through a full-funnel media strategy tailored to Gen Z’s media behaviors and motivations.

  • Launch innovative, cross-platform digital campaigns designed to engage younger and previously untapped audiences, increasing awareness of career opportunities within the U.S. Coast Guard.

Solution
Utilizing learnings from a 14-year partnership, during which LMO served as the prime and subcontractor for the USCG Recruiting Command, our team implemented a comprehensive recruitment strategy that leveraged market research, targeted media placement and impactful messaging to help the Coast Guard achieve its FY24 recruitment goals.

  • Market Research: We conduct extensive market research on the desired target audiences to understand their motivations, media consumption habits and perceptions of military service.

  • Comprehensive Media Mix: Based on analysis of research findings and historical learnings, we crafted a full-funnel media strategy in FY24:

    • Awareness Stage: Connected TV (CTV), podcast audio streaming and gaming display/custom rich media

    • Consideration Stage: High impact, custom rich media and online video

    • Lead Generation Stage: Programmatic display, Google paid search, Google Pmax and paid social (META, Reddit and Snapchat).

  • Innovative Digital Campaigns: In July 2024, we launched the USCG's first lead generation Google Maps and Performance Max campaigns. These initiatives aimed to:

    • Broaden outreach to younger demographics through cross-channel networks

    • Promote recruiting office locations across the U.S. via Google Maps

    • Enhance local visibility and awareness of USCG opportunities

    • Reach previously untapped audiences through YouTube, Demand Gen and other cross-network Google channels

  • Strategic Partnerships: We carefully selected programmatic partnerships based on their ability to reach priority audiences, offer high-impact media solutions and drive results aligned with specific funnel stages and key performance indicators (KPI).

  • Lower Funnel Focus: To boost the primary KPI of form completions, we reallocated media spend from upper-funnel tactics like out-of-home and direct mail to high-performing consideration and conversion channels.

  • Creative Message Testing: Throughout FY24, we conducted iterative testing of headlines and calls-to-action (CTA) to identify the most resonant messages. Our team closely monitored campaign performance and optimized budgets to support the strongest-performing creative elements

  • Continuous Optimization: We implemented comprehensive monitoring and evaluation systems to analyze media placement performance. Our team used this data to continuously reprioritize and revise our media plan, reallocating resources from underperforming channels to better-performing outlets.

  • Expanded Geographic Reach: To extend the campaign's reach, we transitioned from designated marketing area (DMA)-targeted media buys to a national scope, allowing us to engage interested candidates regardless of proximity to recruiting offices.

  • Comprehensive Reporting: Our team provided detailed reporting on campaign performance monthly, quarterly and at the end of each fiscal year. Annual deep dives analyzed creative, media and outreach results to inform future strategies.

  • Event Support: Our account services team coordinated and provided on-site support for numerous USCG recruitment events throughout the year, ensuring consistent messaging across all touchpoints.

Results:

In FY24, the U.S. Coast Guard successfully enlisted 4,422 recruits, surpassing its mission goal by 222 recruits.

  • A strategic shift toward lower-funnel tactics, including digital, paid search and paid social, resulted in a 170% increase in primary and secondary conversions compared to FY23.

  • Overall cost-per-lead improved by 55%, demonstrating increased campaign efficiency and return on investment.

  • Form submissions increased 185% year-over-year.

  • Achieved breakthrough results with Performance Max campaigns in 2024, becoming the USCG's top-performing paid media channel within weeks while enhancing existing search effectiveness by 25%, reducing cost per lead by 4% and reaching new audiences across Google networks — ultimately helping the USCG meet its recruitment goals for the first time since 2017 and earning recognition through a Google case study.

  • LMO estimates that if FY24 media funds had been allocated to out-of-home and direct mail at the same levels as FY23, the campaign would have experienced:

    • 8%–13% fewer total conversions

    • 28%–33% fewer completed forms

  • Created effective messaging that maintained the USCG's reputation while broadening its appeal.

  • Established efficient media placement strategies that reached target demographics with minimal waste.

  • Developed comprehensive data analysis systems that allowed for continuous optimization of campaign performance.

Through strategic media planning, digital innovation and continuous performance optimization, we helped the United States Coast Guard reach its target recruitment audience while maintaining its reputation for excellence and high standards. The breakthrough success of the 2024 digital campaigns demonstrated the power of adaptive strategies and cross-channel approaches in modern military recruitment.