Army turns to Frankenstein for new slogan

shemp

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Army launching 'Army Strong' ad campaign

WASHINGTON --In its battle to win the hearts and minds of recruiting-age Americans, the Army is replacing its main ad slogan -- "An Army of One" -- with one it hopes will pack more punch: "Army Strong."

The new approach, the fruit of a $200 million-a-year contract with a major advertising agency, was announced Monday by Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey. He said "Army Strong" will be the centerpiece of a multimedia ad campaign to be launched Nov. 9, timed to coincide with Veterans Day weekend.

Army officials acknowledge that recruiting during wartime is difficult, particularly with the Iraq war grinding on far longer than Bush administration officials expected and U.S. troops dying in battle almost every day.

Aaaaargh! Fire Bad! Army Strong!

But I for one am glad that they didn't overspend:

"Army Strong" was developed by McCann Worldgroup, the communications firm the Army hired last December after struggling through a disappointing recruiting year. The overall five-year contract with McCann Worldgroup is valued at $1 billion, with the first two years guaranteed at $200 million annually.

They could have had this slogan for free: "Win a Free Trip to Iraq!"
 
"Army Strong" is a superb slogan.

I'd be interested to see what the $1billion got them, and whether that was just McCann's fees or if that included that actual adspend as well.
 
I couldn't find any other sources for this. This includes searching the Army.mil news search feature. I did find something for "Keeping the Army Strong" though, which makes a bit more grammatical sense.
 
This is easily the funniest thing I've ever read on the forum. It's an even dumber slogan than "Army of One!"

"Isn't an 'army of one' a terrorist?"

"Shut up, kid."
 
"Army Strong" is a superb slogan.

I'd be interested to see what the $1billion got them, and whether that was just McCann's fees or if that included that actual adspend as well.

So what in god's name is an advertising agency doing that's the equivalent of designing and building an entire car line from the ground up, or creating a major new computer chip fabrication plant?

A BILLION DOLLARS? A BILLION DOLLARS?!?!?!?
 
So what in god's name is an advertising agency doing that's the equivalent of designing and building an entire car line from the ground up, or creating a major new computer chip fabrication plant?

A BILLION DOLLARS? A BILLION DOLLARS?!?!?!?

That is probably more than one FY of advertising costs built in including print materials and electronic media.
 
I'm still not able to find additional sources for this. I also searched the advertising company's web site which doesn't even acknowledge the Army as a client. Even if it is true, shouldn't the topic be described as "Army turns to Tarzan for new slogan" or perhaps even Tonto. I thought Frankenstein only grunted. I dunno, my Shelley is pretty rusty.
 
I'm still not able to find additional sources for this. I also searched the advertising company's web site which doesn't even acknowledge the Army as a client. Even if it is true, shouldn't the topic be described as "Army turns to Tarzan for new slogan" or perhaps even Tonto. I thought Frankenstein only grunted. I dunno, my Shelley is pretty rusty.

Psst, I'm sure you meant Frankenstien's monster.
 
I thought Frankenstein only grunted. I dunno, my Shelley is pretty rusty.

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"Frankenstein" is the name of the scientist. "Frankenstein's Monster" is the name of the monster he created. Dr. Frankenstein was well-versed and educated. He would not have said "Army Strong".

Frankenstein's Monster, in Shelley's work is remarkably erudite. Many of the chapters are written from the first-person perspective of the creature. Here's a sample:
"That is also my victim!" he exclaimed: "in his murder my crimes are consummated; the miserable series of my being is wound to its close! Oh, Frankenstein! generous and self-devoted being! what does it avail that I now ask thee to pardon me? I, who irretrievably destroyed thee by destroying all thou lovedst. Alas! he is cold, he cannot answer me."​
Here you can read the book for yourself.

The army could do worse than to seek out Frankenstein or his creation for some clever wordplay.
 
The campaign needs to be simple like the Milk commercials.

"Got Killer Firepower?", "Got Death?" Or how about a take off of the old GE commercials. "The Army, we bring good things to death"
 
Sigh. It's not "the army is strong" with words missing, but "I am army strong" - as strong as an Army. Or "we are army strong", or "you can be army strong".

It's a shorter way of saying "as strong as an army" - Army Strong.

"Are you strong?" "Yes, I'm Army strong!"

In other words, they are saying that the individual takes on the strength of an entire army and has the strength of an entire army behind him.

It's very good.

PS, in your interpretation, Tarzan makes more sense than Frankenstein's Monster.
 
Sigh. It's not "the army is strong" with words missing, but "I am army strong" - as strong as an Army. Or "we are army strong", or "you can be army strong".

It's a shorter way of saying "as strong as an army" - Army Strong.

In other words, they are saying that the individual takes on the strength of an entire army and has the strength of an entire army behind him.

It's very good.

It's really dumb. Watch.

ImaginalDisc Strong!
 

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