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Silent, stealthy SEALs stay true to form in first TV ad
By LOUIS HANSEN, The Virginian-Pilot
© March 6, 2006
A new invitation flickers among late-night TV ads for amazing wealth and dial-up romance - become a Navy SEAL.
Navy recruiters last week began airing their first television ad specifically aimed at bringing young men into the ranks of elite sea, air and land warriors. The 30-second spot, titled "Footprints," is part of a military wide push to train more special forces to infiltrate and eliminate terrorist cells and insurgent groups.
The Defense Department in January announced plans to expand special operations by 14,000 troops during five years, an increase of about 25 percent. Special operations forces include the Army Green Berets and Rangers, SEALs and some elite Air Force units.
SEAL teams would be expanded by several hundred sailors. About half of the Navy's 2,200 SEALs are based in Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
The television ad opens with surf washing over a placid beach on a moonlit night. Four footprints glow in night-vision green. The sound of the ocean grows, and the surf slowly washes away any trace of a landing. It ends with the SEALs' Web site address.
The nearly silent commercial - it has no voice-over or characters - seeks to attract intelligent civilian men and sailors in their mid-20s who are able to operate independently, said Capt. Tom Buterbaugh , director of advertising and marketing for the Navy recruiting command.
"We wanted to be a little bit different than the typical television commercial," Buterbaugh said. "It is designed to intrigue; it is designed to make people think."
The spot began airing nationally Feb. 27 on sports networks and late-night television, two bastions of young male viewers.
The ad is designed to push more traffic to the SEALs' W eb site, where potential recruits can get a full picture of what it takes to join N avy special forces, he said.
The spot is unusual because it focuses on a specific N avy career, Buterbaugh said. The service traditionally has used its advertising to lure sailors to the service rather than a specific job.
It also lacks the high-tempo music and fast action scenes found in many recruiting commercials. Buterbaugh said it emphasizes the stealthy nature of SEAL teams.
"They want to get in and get out," he said.
The cost of running the ad would be taken out of the service's $40 million annual media budget, he said.
The SEAL community traditionally shuns publicity, b ut Master Chief Petty Officer Victor LiCause said the commercial raises needed awareness for the command.
"We need to tell the public a little bit more," said LiCause, a SEAL who represents special warfare at the Navy recruiting headquarters in Millington, Tenn .
He thinks the ads can target the right young men - good athletes with mental tenacity - to join the sea and land commandos. The units are looking for men with "the intense desire to be on a team and make a difference," he said.
The command also has started a campaign to educate recruiters across the country about careers in naval special warfare.
Recruiters were brought to San Diego last week for a briefing on the SEAL community and special warfare work. They were shown how to spot and attract top prospects.
Buterbaugh said the ad would run as long as it proved effective and that he expects to produce more
http://www.navy.com/about/navylife/onduty/seals/?campaign=NSWNSO_FOOTPRINTS
Personally, i think this is 1 of the best recruiting videos i've seen yet. It depicts the SEALS in the very light they intended, and proved less really is more. Sorry if its been posted already, I did a search and came up with nil.
By LOUIS HANSEN, The Virginian-Pilot
© March 6, 2006
A new invitation flickers among late-night TV ads for amazing wealth and dial-up romance - become a Navy SEAL.
Navy recruiters last week began airing their first television ad specifically aimed at bringing young men into the ranks of elite sea, air and land warriors. The 30-second spot, titled "Footprints," is part of a military wide push to train more special forces to infiltrate and eliminate terrorist cells and insurgent groups.
The Defense Department in January announced plans to expand special operations by 14,000 troops during five years, an increase of about 25 percent. Special operations forces include the Army Green Berets and Rangers, SEALs and some elite Air Force units.
SEAL teams would be expanded by several hundred sailors. About half of the Navy's 2,200 SEALs are based in Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
The television ad opens with surf washing over a placid beach on a moonlit night. Four footprints glow in night-vision green. The sound of the ocean grows, and the surf slowly washes away any trace of a landing. It ends with the SEALs' Web site address.
The nearly silent commercial - it has no voice-over or characters - seeks to attract intelligent civilian men and sailors in their mid-20s who are able to operate independently, said Capt. Tom Buterbaugh , director of advertising and marketing for the Navy recruiting command.
"We wanted to be a little bit different than the typical television commercial," Buterbaugh said. "It is designed to intrigue; it is designed to make people think."
The spot began airing nationally Feb. 27 on sports networks and late-night television, two bastions of young male viewers.
The ad is designed to push more traffic to the SEALs' W eb site, where potential recruits can get a full picture of what it takes to join N avy special forces, he said.
The spot is unusual because it focuses on a specific N avy career, Buterbaugh said. The service traditionally has used its advertising to lure sailors to the service rather than a specific job.
It also lacks the high-tempo music and fast action scenes found in many recruiting commercials. Buterbaugh said it emphasizes the stealthy nature of SEAL teams.
"They want to get in and get out," he said.
The cost of running the ad would be taken out of the service's $40 million annual media budget, he said.
The SEAL community traditionally shuns publicity, b ut Master Chief Petty Officer Victor LiCause said the commercial raises needed awareness for the command.
"We need to tell the public a little bit more," said LiCause, a SEAL who represents special warfare at the Navy recruiting headquarters in Millington, Tenn .
He thinks the ads can target the right young men - good athletes with mental tenacity - to join the sea and land commandos. The units are looking for men with "the intense desire to be on a team and make a difference," he said.
The command also has started a campaign to educate recruiters across the country about careers in naval special warfare.
Recruiters were brought to San Diego last week for a briefing on the SEAL community and special warfare work. They were shown how to spot and attract top prospects.
Buterbaugh said the ad would run as long as it proved effective and that he expects to produce more
http://www.navy.com/about/navylife/onduty/seals/?campaign=NSWNSO_FOOTPRINTS
Personally, i think this is 1 of the best recruiting videos i've seen yet. It depicts the SEALS in the very light they intended, and proved less really is more. Sorry if its been posted already, I did a search and came up with nil.
