Air National Guard

Increasing Awareness Through Digital Innovation.

Challenge
Limited brand awareness and recruitment challenges. The Air National Guard faced a general lack of awareness, with only 2% of their target audience familiar with the organization. Ongoing mission and unit changes required continuous adaptation of recruitment strategies. Fiscal limitations constrained marketing and advertising capabilities. Nationwide lack of youth propensity toward military service created recruitment obstacles. The Guard needed a 90% retention rate across 50 states and four territories. Recruiters required better tools and resources to manage programs and support end-strength goals.

OBJECTIVE
Attract and recruit highly skilled, qualified applicants to meet accession goals across 50 states and four territories while maintaining a 90% retention rate. Specific goals included:

National Broadcast Video

Increase brand awareness for the Air National Guard beyond the existing 2% recognition rate. Create effective systems to capture and process qualified leads to fill vacancies. Develop strategies to maintain a 90% retention rate. Equip recruiting and retention personnel with tools and resources for managing programs.

The Edge

SOLUTION


LMO implemented a comprehensive strategy that transformed the Air Guard’s recruiting and retention efforts through digital innovation, localized advertising support and improved lead management systems.

Digital Transformation: We helped the Air Guard transition from predominantly non-digital campaigns to 100% digital campaigns, increasing programmatic ad buying to enhance tracking capabilities and optimize campaigns in real time. This ensured messaging reached the intended market and followed prospects through to accession.

Local Advertising Program (LAP): We developed and executed the LAP, enabling recruiters in 50 states and four territories to deliver localized marketing efforts that resonated with local audiences and featured local unit missions. The program maintained a consistent “look and feel” to elevate the nationally recognizable brand.

National Event Marketing Program: We created, managed and expanded the National Event Marketing program from professional career fairs to national partnership activations with major entities such as Spartan Race, Vans Warped Tour, Country Throwdown and Lucas Oil Motocross series. The ANG Mobile Experience offered prospects interactive opportunities to experience elements of ANG specialties and benefits.

Lead Processing Center (LPC): We implemented a comprehensive system for collecting, processing, and prescreening all leads before assigning them to local recruiters. The LPC functioned as a secure data warehouse, storing campaign and lead data while allowing for integration across multiple systems and databases.

Targeted State Digital Campaigns: We launched a LAP State Digital buy that allowed states to “opt-in” to digital campaigns with targeted messaging, including prior service, non-prior service, health professionals and diversity. States could select plans that best addressed their critical vacancy needs and target audiences through geo-targeted digital marketing.

Social Media Expansion: We developed a bold social strategy focused on visual content and fostering community engagement that encouraged current Airmen to share their experiences. LMO expanded the Air Guard’s social presence to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr, allowing them to engage with their 18-34 audience across multiple platforms.

Retention Strategy:

We deployed a multi-channel retention push using drill-weekend print, the 800-500-PRIDE hotline, milestone-based direct mail, and updated online content designed for today’s Airmen.

Lead Capture:

We created four core prospect channels—a trained-agent 1-800-TO-GO-ANG line, website live chat, tiered RFI forms, and recruiter lead forms for on-the-ground events.

RESULTS

Engaged 50,000+ new prospects through high-performing email campaigns.

Administrative Tools:

We launched the Admin Center—a one-stop workspace featuring the ANG directory, LAP and Event Tool, State Status Card, planning and training resources, ops funding tracking, and a library of approved creative.

Built targeted retention programs for high-priority first- and second-term Airmen.

Transitioned to 100% digital campaigns, enabling better tracking and faster, smarter optimizations.

Built a comprehensive lead center that maximized recruiter efficiency by filtering for top-quality leads.