I was at the movie theater yesterday and I saw a very powerful ad for The National Guard of the army. You can actually watch it on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2j6j-vf6Ks.
At First, I was not sure if it was a preview of a movie or a new song from a rock band….To attract their target market which may be more people from 18 to 25 years old, the advertisers did their job efficiently: they have a rock sound as the soundtrack, they use car race images and shots of soldiers in mission. The rock song has lyrics such as” i am an American Warrior”, “they call me warrior”. The word warrior has a very strong connotation to power, respect, fear. Some young people may like the ad, may want to be a “warrior” for real. It sounds very cool according to the sound to be an “American warrior”. That word so many times pronounced is now resonating in my head. If I pronounce it just one more time, that is it, I am really going to believe that enrolling myself in the army will make me a “warrior”.
Then, they try also to show a very positive image by using kids. The soldiers love kids, they are nice to them, they do not want frighten them. Wars do not appear as a horrible thing. The reality is omitting in the ad. It is not enough realistic. Here, they are really trying to associate Army with the cool attitude. Your life will look like a rock song if you join the Army. Everything they show is for me propaganda.
I hope not everyone will just think the Army is “cool” because their song was powerful and can intrude and brainwashed your mind.
