Who made the worst recruiting commercial?

2016-05-02T19:43:39-04:00

I know this should get some fun started. The Navy actually used "In the Navy" by the Village People. That sucks. The Army was "Be All That You Can Be" when I came in...Priceless, then Army of One, and Army Strong killed all hopes and dreams. Marines...the damn ugly CGI commercial fighting the dragon? Seriously? Air Force was "Be All That You Couldn't be In the Army" by Aiming High..

Response by PO1 Donald Hammond made May 2 at 2016 7:51 PM

2016-05-02T19:51:07-04:00

Personally I believe the Marines with those CGI commercials were the worst.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made May 2 at 2016 7:52 PM

2016-05-02T19:52:23-04:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZsERX844Tg

New Navy Recruiting Ad (Funny)

Funny spoof of the Navy

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made May 2 at 2016 7:58 PM

2016-05-02T19:58:15-04:00

SSG Warren Swan - My personal "worst" favorite has to go to the Army's "We do more before 9am than most people do all day." My God, what sort of hair-brained teen-ager would bite at that opportunity?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt-9dQ84LBg

Do more before 9 AM

Iconic 80's Army recruiting ad.

Response by SFC Anthony Shaffer made May 2 at 2016 8:16 PM

2016-05-02T20:16:47-04:00

https://youtu.be/sQ6QX-OsWUc
Airborne, You do it till you get it right, then you'll do it some more.

AIRBORNE

old school Airborne recruiting video.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made May 2 at 2016 8:20 PM

2016-05-02T20:20:56-04:00

I think that all of the services had some pretty bad ones. The Marines CGI one with the dragon comes to mind with the Marines (even though as a young person when it came out I loved it). My questions is who has had the best recruiting commercial or slogan? The Marine's "The few the proud the Marines" has been very successful. I'm not sure what the Army is on now they gone through so many in the last decade.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made May 2 at 2016 8:27 PM

2016-05-02T20:27:53-04:00

That wasn't my favorite, I'd thought about navy at one point and really very nearly went that way. One recruit Ofc had this really dreamily romantic poster I can still envision showing the fantail of a perry class fast frigate a great motto " your road to adventure starts here". Sigh...

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made May 2 at 2016 8:37 PM

2016-05-02T20:37:11-04:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhioeOeOHsA

SNL "The Navy" S4E15 1979

The Navy Commercial Parady

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made May 2 at 2016 8:39 PM

2016-05-02T20:39:05-04:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=062NzZxiuK0

Hilarious Navy Recruiting Ad

Join the Navy... Yvan eht nioj

Response by SFC Everett Oliver made May 2 at 2016 8:55 PM

2016-05-02T20:55:07-04:00

Hated the Army slogans "Be All you Can be" and "Army of One". Spent all those years learning and teaching teamwork to get the job at hand done. then they push individualism... Not that there isn't a place for it, but in most cases teamwork will get you home.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 2 at 2016 8:56 PM

2016-05-02T20:56:38-04:00

I don't know about commercials bro, but I think "An Army of One" is the absolute worst recruiting slogan I have ever heard. If they were trying to make it as bad as they could on purpose, it couldn't have been much worse.

Response by Sgt Joe LaBranche made May 2 at 2016 9:13 PM

2016-05-02T21:13:24-04:00

You can't beat, "The few, the proud, the Marines!" SSG Warren Swan! Ooh-Rah! Got chills running through my blood...that's what I'm talking about!

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made May 2 at 2016 9:25 PM

2016-05-02T21:25:51-04:00

Some of those Navy ads almost made me want to join the Navy lol.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made May 2 at 2016 9:54 PM

2016-05-02T21:54:27-04:00

Using "In the Navy" was probably the low point in Naval history. LOL

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made May 2 at 2016 10:34 PM

2016-05-02T22:34:06-04:00

There's a novel called The Sand Pebbles made into a famous film with Steve McQueen and Richard Attenborough as well as sevl other actors of note. The novel though I think had something to the effect that the central character remembered only one recruiting slogan that stuck with him, as I recall uncle Sam saying "I need you." I always rather remembered that for some reason, it struck me as quite lyric in a way. There was an old naval tradition called playing "shipping over music", stirring martial themes played along quays and docksides, I think mainly during the 19th century though I'm not entirely certain I'll try to look it up. Different slogans suiting different sociohistorical eras and or different social psychology as well as social mores to recruit for militaries have quite probably been going on with varying effectiveness ever since ancient times, I often wonder sometimes what recruiting ads the Roman legions used, you know? I wonder if they ever thought they found one that worked especially well, lol.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made May 3 at 2016 12:13 AM

2016-05-03T00:13:53-04:00

I'm with you on the "Army of One" CPT Private RallyPoint Member as being way off target. Recently hated "The Navy, a Global Force for Good". Give me a break. And of course our refrain for our Jarhead buddies? "The Marines are still looking for a few good men". They must not have found any yet. The ad folk don't seem to comprehend they're talking to kids that just smelled gas and tasted lipstick. Get a few cognacs into me and I'll come up with some. Er, probably not suitable for TV viewing.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made May 3 at 2016 12:57 AM

2016-05-03T00:57:44-04:00

In my day it was "Uncle Sam Wants You"

Response by Capt Walter Miller made May 3 at 2016 5:42 AM

2016-05-03T05:42:29-04:00

https://youtu.be/pgVzAMQsP5o

United States Marine Corps: For Country

Marines serve their county with honor, courage and commitment. Request more information about becoming a United States Marine at http://po.st/ShkgAY.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2016 8:58 AM

2016-05-03T08:58:55-04:00

Aim High...miss the target.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made May 3 at 2016 9:33 AM

2016-05-03T09:33:23-04:00

The very first "Army of One" commercial. You know the one where the Soldier is running behind the HMMWV loaded with Soldiers and no explanation why he's the only one not on the truck. When I first saw it I thought it was a spoof and crap they left the guy behind. My favorite was the "Be all that you can be".

Response by Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth made May 3 at 2016 9:54 AM

2016-05-03T09:54:51-04:00

IMHO...the best Air Fore Slogan was Cross into the blue. I remember the "Army Be all you can be in the ARMY." NAVY...not just a job its an adventure. Marines..."the few the proud, the Marines." Coast Guard..."Always Ready" Attached are two of the best Air Force Commercial ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGCwC1bmSCw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izYAn7XDFys&list=PLAn6kYT6aGnmLaq85l1ndLAtXqjmrxo45

America's Air Force TV ad - Lullaby

USAF tv ad

Response by Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin made May 3 at 2016 10:01 AM

2016-05-03T10:01:52-04:00

I'm definitely a fan of the Air Force's "It's not science fiction".

Response by PO2 Mark Saffell made May 3 at 2016 10:20 AM

2016-05-03T10:20:03-04:00

I like this one.

http://rare.us/story/navy-unveils-new-recruiting-commercial-and-its-really-badass/

Navy unveils new recruiting commercial — and it’s really badass

The ad aims to move away from the themes of previous commercials.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made May 3 at 2016 11:05 AM

2016-05-03T11:05:24-04:00

All of the SciFi style Air Force Commercials. "It's not science fiction, it's what we do every day." Yea, I wish our systems were as cool and advanced as the commercials. Sure would beat the Windows 7 we've got that becomes completely useless when Microsoft pushes an Office update. Oh but it does get fixed, several days after the issue began and comm is sick of getting tickets.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made May 3 at 2016 11:46 AM

2016-05-03T11:46:03-04:00

SSG Warren Swan When I was in high school, I received an information packet from the USAF. In the brochure was a boot camp overview, trying to show that boot camp was no reason not to enlist. In the brochure there was a picture of an Army soldier weighted down with combat ruck, sweating, miserable expression on his face. The last page of the brochure, which was memorable enough that I still remember it actually included the line "See, we didn't even issue you a pack!"

As a side note, when I was 19, playing soccer daily, riding a bicycle to get where I needed to go, and just graduating high school, I was afraid that I would not be able to survive boot camp, and I did not enlist. When I was 27 I enlisted, and successfully navigated boot camp. Never know what you can do until you put aside the excuses and dive in.

Response by SPC Steven Carroll made May 3 at 2016 12:15 PM

2016-05-03T12:15:17-04:00

Just having a little fun at the experience of navy.
https://youtu.be/jhioeOeOHsA

SNL "The Navy" S4E15 1979

The Navy Commercial Parady

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2016 12:55 PM

2016-05-03T12:55:11-04:00

Here's a cool one from WWII!

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made May 3 at 2016 2:09 PM

2016-05-03T14:09:52-04:00

SSG Warren Swan Thankfully the navy has come a long way from the village people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThImmlN-I8s

America's Navy -- The Shield

To get to you, they’d have to get past us. Watch our commercial that debuted during the 2014 Army-Navy football game.

Response by MSgt Richard Rountree made May 3 at 2016 2:19 PM

2016-05-03T14:19:41-04:00

OK, so this isn't a 'real' recruiting commercial for any of our military branches... This is a flyer I created at KFIA in Jan 1991 shortly after Desert Storm started. It was inspired by the reports of Iraqi Air Force pilots flying their planes to Iran to keep us from destroying them hence the 1-800-I-RAN-AWAY reference. The tag line "A Great Waste of Life" was a corruption of the USAF recruiting slogan "A Great Way of Life" circa 1980s.

This flyer ended up being passed around the AOR. If you've seen this before, where were you when you saw it?

For the computer nerds here, this was done on an Atari ST computer using the FleetStreet Publisher layout application, a hand-held scanner, and a laser printer in the 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) (The Vultures) operations building at KFIA. The Vultures were an A-10 squadron from RAF Alconbury UK.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2016 2:47 PM

2016-05-03T14:47:30-04:00

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/2016/05/03/chinese-militarys-video-better-than-us-recruiting-ads/83877514/
SSG Warren Swan The Chinese seem to have it together.

Chinese military's video is better than U.S. recruiting ads

U.S. military recruiters take note: It's time to up your game.

Response by COL Charles Williams made May 3 at 2016 11:43 PM

2016-05-03T23:43:30-04:00

Anything to do with an Army of One...

Response by SPC Sean Eden made May 4 at 2016 11:23 AM

2016-05-04T11:23:24-04:00

"What a great place, it's a great place to start" was rather pitiful

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 5 at 2016 8:39 AM

2016-05-05T08:39:33-04:00

I've heard that Army Strong is going away. What will they come up with next?

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 30 at 2016 8:57 PM

2016-05-30T20:57:52-04:00

No the USPS had a commercial which stated "We hire the handicapped". Man did that idea (good intention, anayway) BACKFIRE, when the response was We KNOW that already!
Letter carrier for 10 years. Management at USPS was scared of customers. Most customers were great,BUT a few were trying to get over with bogus postage or unreasonable complaints. Address changes are NOT automatic! Criminals should keep their Probation Officer informed as they are instructed to. (or else they go back to JAiL for probation violation, etc.) it is a lick on you not the post office.

Response by Cpl Glynis Sakowicz made Aug 23 at 2016 9:39 AM

2016-08-23T09:39:50-04:00

That "Army of One" slogan nearly made Marines unhinged! Remember everything in the USMC is TEAM EFFORT. It was just beyond us, to even imagine the concept of a Single person being an Army...
I am so sorry to say, that I rarely paid attention to the recruiting slogans of the other services. I must have been far too busy gagging over the Dragon commercial for the USMC... I mean, really??? I was wondering why they didn't get Gandalf to come running out and Bellow "RUN YOU FOOLS!!!" at some point, but I do/did love the commercials that featured the Silent Drill Team just because they are the Silent Drill Team.

Response by Cpl Raul DeMoura made Aug 23 at 2016 10:00 AM

2016-08-23T10:00:37-04:00

Army! " Be all you can be, so you can be LESS than you were!"

Response by CAPT Hiram Patterson made Aug 23 at 2016 12:14 PM

2016-08-23T12:14:29-04:00

I hated the Navy slogan "A Global Force for Good!"

Response by CAPT Hiram Patterson made Aug 23 at 2016 12:24 PM

2016-08-23T12:24:56-04:00

The best Marine recruiting commercial was the long line of Marines in their dress blues doing rifle drill movements from coast to coast.

Response by SFC Pete Kain made Aug 23 at 2016 12:45 PM

2016-08-23T12:45:23-04:00

SNL...The Navy it's not an adventure it's a job. Followed by videos of sailors cleaning the head and chipping paint.
Classic.
Parody at its finest.

Response by MAJ Jeffrey Frankart made Aug 23 at 2016 1:15 PM

2016-08-23T13:15:35-04:00

I liked the "Be all you can be." I even had an email sig when I was the Battalion Maintenance Officer (BMO) that read "I joined the Army to be all that I can be, but then I decided to BMO."

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Aug 23 at 2016 3:13 PM

2016-08-23T15:13:10-04:00

In my opinion the worst that the army came up with was the "Army of One" crap.

Response by SN Gs Crable Sr. made Aug 23 at 2016 8:16 PM

2016-08-23T20:16:00-04:00

Rally post

Navy. 'SEE THE WORLD". I just remember the sillyness, ridicule, and sarcasm by us sailors directed at all recruiting come-ons...They sort of reflected the disillusionment we felt when we sorted the vision in our head vs the reality. Most commonly heard was "yeah see the world go by, from the deck you were swabbing at the time." And of course, the imfamous, NAVY: Never Again Volunteer Yourself. Ha. Meanwhile, in the 9os I think, 'be all you can be' became a version of street slang, adopted by pushers, convicts, and thugs. Trust me I was there, and heard it on many occasions. Ask me what it means sometime. For me, the most anticipated moments of naval experience were when our small craft amphib boats left port. I also used to stand and watch massive ships leave the shipyard, after years in drydock. "HAZE GREY, & UNDERWAY", forever, baby. (God I wish I was young and looking forward like that again

Response by LCDR Glenn Adwell made Aug 23 at 2016 9:12 PM

2016-08-23T21:12:03-04:00

The Air Force's "Aim High" always confused me. I was taught by a Marine sniper that if you aim high, you miss!

Response by SGT Tim Fridley made Aug 23 at 2016 9:18 PM

2016-08-23T21:18:40-04:00

I feel the worst one was An Army of One There Is and never was such a thing when I was in.

Response by 1SG Patrick Sims made Aug 24 at 2016 5:51 PM

2016-08-24T17:51:17-04:00

Join the Navy and see the world----boy what a crock of shit that was. I was trained as a radar man and destine to go to sea---in my own mind---Instead I went to the River Patrol in Vietnam. It sucked so bad we had guys trying to volunteer to winter over in Antarctica. Corpsman were trying to volunteer to work in leper colonies, I tried to volunteer for sniper school, just to get off those moving targets. At least Soldiers and Marines could throw themselves down on the ground when they were fired at. We were on a green fiberglass boat, on a mud brown canal, and were generally so close we could have hit each other with rocks. ---Sorry about the rant---It was a long time ago

Response by SSG John Jensen made Aug 25 at 2016 1:47 AM

2016-08-25T01:47:22-04:00

late 70's airdrop of a gamma-goat and troops, then driving off, followed by troops drinking coffee from canteen cup around camp fire with "1SG Good Morning"! , "We do more before 9 o'clock than most people do all day"
the rest of the sentence 'after 9 o'clock we don't do a damn thing!'

Response by PO1 Tharin Young made Aug 25 at 2016 2:16 AM

2016-08-25T02:16:24-04:00

The Navy's new commercial 'A global force for good' is so stupid it's embarrassing. Whoever came up with that drivel is obviously unaware that the purpose of the military is to kill our enemies and destroy their stuff.

Response by Cadet SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2016 7:37 AM

2016-08-26T07:37:05-04:00

Be all you can be, that was a big fight. We own the seas, was a clash of the Titans giant,that failed miserably, be prepared was time flux nightmare, I don't think Einstein knew what was coming,aim high was well a bee line to a seat at the peewee Herman movie you never wanted to see, but big brother built a highway to hell, in the batman saga, the few the proud the marines gas a form you couldn't afford to lose, even if you were in ckivies, and always on guard was a gentleman and a scholar.castor and pollac were epic hearing aids victims.

Response by SSgt David Tedrow made Jun 24 at 2017 3:26 AM

2017-06-24T03:26:03-04:00

The Marines don't really need to spend the same as the other services on recruiting ads so what they do spend is more for show than recruiting. Marines get more from the news reels, movies, word of mouth and legend.

Response by PO1 Sanford Snyder made Jun 26 at 2021 10:07 AM

2021-06-26T10:07:44-04:00

The Navy never officially used the song "In the Navy" by the Village People". It was actually offered to the Navy, but they said nope, not our image. Hell, the higher brass were even pissed about Cher doing that song on a battleship. Seems the Captain made the decision to let it happen, and those higher up didn't like it.