"America's Navy: A Global Force For Good"
It appears that the Navy has a new advertising slogan, replacing the "Accelerate Your Life" campaign they had been running the last few years. Here's the first commercial using the "America's Navy: A Global Force For Good" tagline:
For some reason, when I hear this new slogan, the first image that comes to my mind is Danny Noonan telling Judge Smails "I want to be good" in Caddyshack. I'm not a big fan of the new slogan yet, but I suppose it's better than some of the advertising campaigns the Navy has done over the last few decades. I enlisted during the "It's not just a job... It's an adventure" period, so I'm probably not the best judge of what works. Still, this one just sounds so frickin' corny...
posted by Bubblehead at 10:17 PM
58 Comments:
Quite a few other Bubbleheads feel the same way Joel. Smails reminds me of my unimaginative and boring high school principal. He was always ready to send a few of us to detention since my high school district disallowed paddling students any more. Didn't matter what happened or what your story was. His final reply inevitably was almost always..."You will stay after school young man."
Or can you say, "Danny there's alot of badness in the world, I see it in court everyday. I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. I didn't want to do it, but I felt I owed it to them. The most important question you can ask yourself today Danny, is if you stand for goodness or badness?
You're right, this latest enticement for 17 & 18 yearolds to run at full speed ahead and join the Navy is a bit on the corny side.
When I was 17, we had "Accelerate Your Life!" Keith David did the voice over, which wasn't bad at all. He also portrayed the angry & mistrusting CJCS in the movie, "Armageddon", with Bruce Willis and Liv Tyler.
Hopefully this new recruiting ad is effective. As usual, we'll see what happens.
10/02/2009 12:15 AM
Amazing how a new ad campaign can look really good...right up until the last line. IMO, they nailed it with the "Call to Serve" theme and should have left it at that.
"A Global Force For Good" sounds like a recruiting campaign for the Justice League.
Oh, and why the lack of a plug for submarines? (Or were those submarines in the background behind the young lady in whites? If so, I wonder if that was intentional?)
10/02/2009 3:29 AM
Starship Troopers! Earn your citizenship today by joining A Global Force For Good!
10/02/2009 3:57 AM
Or was the slogan "It's not an adventure...It's just a job".
I guess reality doesn't sell well, except reality TV!
10/02/2009 4:04 AM
1973, there was no slogan, at least one that I can remember. I thought I stayed in touch with the goings on in Uncle Sams Canoe Club. How'd I miss the "Accelerate blah, blah, blah" one? Suxs getin old. By-the-way, I love the word verifications, I chuckle everytime I have to enter them.
10/02/2009 4:22 AM
Sounds like a line from a George Lucas movie-- one of his recent ones.
10/02/2009 4:49 AM
Hell, why don't we just adopt the theme song from "Team America: World Police".
Sing with me here...."America...@&ck Yeah"
10/02/2009 5:09 AM
does anyone remember the ad from the 70s: "Pride Runs Deep" under a picture of a submarine on the surface. Hull number on the sail was 593 - Thresher
10/02/2009 5:34 AM
As the LPO says "Seaman Schmuckatelli, I need you to be a Global Force For Good....Field day the head if you please".
10/02/2009 5:45 AM
Too bad our politicians don't use the Department of Defense to defend the country and instead use it to be a "global force for good".
It does sound a lot like Team America.
When was join the Navy, see the world the official slogan?
10/02/2009 6:12 AM
My neo-hippie-peacenik friends in college said the "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of those who treaten it" made them feel like joining. One did, subs too, though I think that was not related to the slogan..
10/02/2009 6:16 AM
Back when Miami was a newcon, and we had to come in early to field day before the shipyard started working, we adapted the Army's motto: "In the Navy, we do more before seven AM than we do all day!"
Rackburn
10/02/2009 6:27 AM
Ok, everyone sing with me,
"I joined the Navy to see the world, and what did I see? I seen the sea."
This new slogan "Global Force for Good" really sounds like someone is trying to convince others that the Navy is a good place to be. Though, others are correct and it does kind of sound like a SuperHero solgan. Wonder if they will start issuing tights and capes now.
10/02/2009 6:27 AM
This add makes it look like the main purpose of the Navy is to give out hugs and lollipops, and not defend the US.
If this does rope in the hippi/peacenicks, I see a lot more people "conscientiously objecting" in order to get out of the killing enemy aspects.
As said previously, great up until the end. Maybe just end it with a “The US Navy. A Global Force!”
10/02/2009 6:29 AM
Ed Mahmoud, Transferred to ComNavSixPack over 20 years ago. NEC 3383. Drove the RPCC in 2 plant on the USS Chuck Wagon (CVN-70) 1985-1988. Sunlight whenever I wasn't too busy watchstanding and sleeping.
Anyway, in Obama's new people's Navy, there will be no more wars. Just helping people.
I'd dare say, the goal of the Obammunist is to so weaken the military, while simultaneously ballooning the budget deficit, that any possible patriot/Republican successor can't reconstitute the military, and will be dependent on the tender mercies of the Russians and Chinese at the United Nations Security Council.
I'm not sure why bother social experiments like women on subs, since subs will be among the first to go. Good luck to those 100 lb women wearing OBA's and dragging charged fire hoses around.
But survival of the ship is secondary to woman's lib and crunchy granola feel good crap.
10/02/2009 7:01 AM
does anyone remember the ad from the 70s: "Pride Runs Deep" under a picture of a submarine on the surface. Hull number on the sail was 593 - Thresher
The only "Pride Runs Deep" picture I ever saw had SSN-651 in it.
10/02/2009 7:11 AM
http://www.queenfish.org/noframes/icex70/pride.jpg
10/02/2009 7:17 AM
This sounds like something cribbed from an old Captain Planet cartoon. I look forward to the new "Submarines: Carbon Neutral" campaign and the associated "Caring and Sharing" ad series for the USMC.
Still waiting for "Service Equals Citizenship - Would you Like to Know More ?"
10/02/2009 7:19 AM
This comment has been removed by the author.
10/02/2009 7:22 AM
anon@7:01 Drove the RPCC in 2 plant on the USS Chuck Wagon (CVN-70) 1985-1988.
Hey, I was on CVN-70 (yes, I was one of *THEM* for the first few years) 1984-1987! When Sam "The Blade" Locklear was the EO and Frank Dobrydney was the CHENG. And I really DID drive!
Anyway....so is the new slogan INTENDED to be a double-entendre? Does the "Global Force For Good" translate to "Against the forces of Evil" or does it translate to "We're in your backyard and have no intention of leaving"? Or both? Yeah, I'm into the Friday morning semantics!!
10/02/2009 8:08 AM
Ret Anav
Was Mo Gamma your reactor officer? Was Tom Mercer, then GD O'Brien the CO?
I saw Mercer on TV when I was in college as a civilian, he was commander of Subic Bay, as an admiral, and was the last CO of Subic, as a volcano erupted and buried Clark and Subic. I recognized a flattened bar in Barrio Barreto, because the sign was still standing, "Gilligans Island".
Today;s young squids will never know the PI, or the chalmydia that followed...
10/02/2009 8:59 AM
Pride Runs Deep V2.0 had the 651 boat on it, after the brass were made aware of their slip.
10/02/2009 9:20 AM
The last slogan was "unmanning thr front lines, so anything is better.
10/02/2009 10:07 AM
I think that the phrase "a global force for good" isn't perceived the same by civilians. It will probably be more effective than cheesey since we know that we are, civilians don't.
10/02/2009 10:19 AM
Anon @ 8:59: Was Mo Gamma your reactor officer? Was Tom Mercer, then GD O'Brien the CO?
Never heard of Mo Gamma...Mark Flaherty was the RO that I remember. Tom Mercer was CO for 1st WestPac, then George (The Screamer) O'Brien for the 2nd. Mercer ultimately became CNFK at some point...lost track of him after that. Wouldn't swear to it, but I don't think O'[brien ever got a star before he retired. After I left, Doyle Borchers (1st XO) came back to be CO and it was all downhill from there. '85-'87 Cruise book Pg 156 row 4 center.
Cheers.
10/02/2009 10:31 AM
Pride Runs Deep V2.0 had the 651 boat on it, after the brass were made aware of their slip.
That was some slip.
10/02/2009 10:52 AM
Mo Gamma was Flaherty, from the way he signed his name. Reminded me of Nixon.
I was the #2 plant ORSE RO.
I hung out a lot with Kim Lucke, Chris Patterson, and a guy named Harv.
Patterson got out same day I did, spent all his poker winnings in Tahoe, re-enlisted, wound up on the Long Beach (CGN-9), made ET1, then got busted on a whiz quiz and got booted.
I also hung out some with Ed Niemczura, and some of the ELTs like Moist and Replogle.
10/02/2009 11:06 AM
Marketing the Navy has been passed to the uniform board that designed the wanabee warrior "smurf suits" and black and tans so sailors could look like wanabee Marines. Uniform board will also be planning the implementation of women on submarines. Probably consulting with the Air Force on that plan and the design of multitudes of new decorations.
My two cents and keep a zero bubble............
DBFTMC(SS)USNRET
10/02/2009 11:52 AM
anon 8:55,
Subic open for playground action again. I was there in summer of 2007 on MSC T-AE-35. Also inport was T-AOE-9. Barrio Baretto going full blast again along with Baloy Beach playground and floating bar and skivvie house 100 yards off shore. MSC had one of the new T-AKE's in Subic this year for a VR period at the Subic shipyard which reopened in 2007.
Our Navy helo Det of 35 was on cinderella liberty, two man rule ashore, and could not leave the limits of the former Naval Station. C7F attempted to impose same restrictions on CivMars. Ships master filed grievance with union and MSC and then told us to act like adults and not get into trouble (which we didn't) and go ahead and go ashore. Our 1AE found a problem with the Eng Plant and our stay was extended from 4 days to 10. What a guy!!! Do you think the fact that he had wife and kids there had anything to do with it??
Keep a zero bubble.........
DBFTMC(SS)USNRET
10/02/2009 12:08 PM
First question..how much friggin money did they spend on this new campaign?? Hopefully it is not as much as that dumb Navy Ethos. But it will be more.
Loved the video until, like said above, the end. America's Navy?? We gonna include Canada, Mexico an the Central and Southern American countries also???? Is this an ad for them too???
When I came in in 1982, it was..It's not just a job, its an adventure" which I liked. Since then, there has been; "You and the Navy Full Speed Ahead", "Let the Journey Begin" and during my recruiting tour from 1999 to 2002, it became "Accelerate Your Life."
I agree with many of you, the motto sounds like a phrase from some dumb movie or superhero cartoon. Sinec they came out with the Individual Augmentee program, since the navy didn't have a job in the GWOT, Maybe we should use a corny line from "Dirty Dancing".
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"Nobody puts Navy in the corner!"
STSCS(SS/SW) USN RET
My ID says U.S. Navy, not America's Navy!
10/02/2009 2:03 PM
{Uniform board will also be planning the implementation of women on submarines.}
I would like to remind you that the plan for the Navy Submersible Combat Thong (NSCT) is still deeply secret. The good news is that funding it has been less of a problem - the $150m cost has been well hidden in some foolish thing they are calling "LCS".
- Your friends at the Navy Uniform Board
10/02/2009 2:23 PM
I've noticed a change in advertising strategy. Commercials USED to tell you how COOL/SEXY you would be if you used the advertised product. The current approach seems to be you are a GOOD person if you use the product. Hence, "Global Force For Good."
10/02/2009 5:40 PM
Navy Recruiting has been putting a lot of effort into building our "brand". They are putting out a good marketing product (just look at everything in the video except the final line) but I think they are missing the mark.
I think part of the problem is that we are actually making slogans and recruiting policies that reflect how we (translate we to E-9s and O-7s) want to see ourselves. We should want it to translate to our audience but I don't think the new slogan will.
Another example of this line of thinking in recruiting is the mandated uniforms for career fairs/presentations. They love us to wear whites instead of SDBs because "It's such a great uniform" and we "Want our recruiters to stand out". Except, Summer Whites make us stand out in a bad way when compared to our civilian counterparts. The higher ups might think it's really snazzy but our audience thinks it makes us look less professional. (We're no Marines and our uniforms aren't cool...we should at least wear a tie when we can)
I think this slogan does the same thing. It makes us stand out in a bad way. It sound too forced and when compared to the other "catch phrases" out there it sounds kind of weak.
They did a great job with the rest of the commercial though.
10/02/2009 6:50 PM
Is the officer's crest over a horizontal anchor (shown in the last scene) our version of the star that the Army uses?
10/02/2009 6:56 PM
Anon 6:50 - I like summer whites...maybe they don't look good on you because you are fat...
Just kidding! They look good on fat people too.
10/02/2009 6:59 PM
I can't wait to see how Pat Hrabe spins this on Tubedaze
PW
10/02/2009 8:45 PM
Joel,
We always thought the old slogan was "It's not just a job - it's a blowjob!". Or "The Navy - Just like a fan. Stand in front of it and it blows. Stand behind it and it sucks. Stand beside it and it don't do a damn thing for you."
It seems these sayings had something in common with field days. Seemed so knowledgable and funny 30 years ago!
Isn't it funny how these things can just pop back into your mind? Not even gonna start thinking about Subic City and the Barrio. Google Earth ?? No Street View ??
Take it easy,
panamared
10/02/2009 9:46 PM
Up until the last line...the slogan...that was an outstanding video. It cuts to the core of what we do and what it means to me.
And then they spew that "Global force for good crap" and screw it all up. I agree that it totally sounds like Team America. What a waste...
10/03/2009 8:09 PM
We used to say, "It's not just a job....it's a job you can't quit."
10/04/2009 2:51 PM
May an old Dogface, who served during Carter's admin., contribute to this topic? When i was in the army, some ad agency had the bright idea of coming up with the re-enlistment slogan, " Don't Stop Now - Re-Enlist !" Well, so many guys cut the bumper sticker up and re-pasted it to say, "Stop Now - Don't Re-Enlist." Needless to say, that ad campaign didn't last long. (By the way, this was while I was stationed at Pearl Harbor, on Ford Island.) Thanks for letting me contribute.
10/04/2009 6:11 PM
So, when I joined it was "Let the Journey Begin". That is actually a side point to my real question?
How long ago was it "Sailors Have More Fun"? We have an old electrical panel at Nastypac that has a sticker with that catchphrase on it.
---
MM1/SS
10/04/2009 8:22 PM
Hate to say it boys and girls, the Marines have ALWAYS had the BEST recruiting ads. Those guys ooze professionalism (less "do you trust me"). Spent 30 years in the USN bashing Marines...The only good Marine is a submarine, ...Join the Marines and guard a Navy base..., now I work with them. I am proud to be associated with them. Nothing sharper than to watch an E-4 conducting drill w/his sword. Hell our Senior Offices would have absolutly no idea what to do w/a sword other than to cut cake with it.
10/06/2009 4:32 AM
Mmmm... Cake.
10/06/2009 4:53 PM
EX ANAV/COB - I agree with your statement about Marine Professionalism. I'll take it one more step and say that the Coast Guard is almost as professional. It seems like the smaller services are really pretty tight in that respect.
10/06/2009 8:16 PM
anon 8:16,
Agree re: professionalism and image of USCG. Not enough people and $$$ to standup a uniform and service marketing board. When was the last time you saw a USCG ad on the tube?? They get plenty of volunteers without big marketing effort. Changed their uniform in the 70's when USN went to bus driver uniform for enlisted sailors. USCG See's no need to play wanabee uniform game. Their blue utility uniform looks great and is very functional.
I've had a lot of contact with USCG over past few years sailing as a CivMar with MSC. They're very busy and very professional in all that they do. USN ought to be looking at USCG as model sea service on how to get stuff done without distractions. USN could probably cut the pentagon BS staffies by hundreds of positions and be the better for it.
My two cents and keep a zero bubble...........
DBFTMC(SS)USNRET
10/07/2009 12:19 PM
The CGs poopie suits are a two piece uniform. I don't know why we've not gone to that design. Other than name, rate, and service branch...both uniforms look the same.
10/07/2009 1:42 PM
Sailors Have More Fun!
My recruiter gave me one of those stickers in 1975. I still have a t-shirt that has that slogan on it. The Aussies apparently like it also as I saw a t-shirt that read "Aussie Sailors Have More Fun" in Hawaii in June. In my experience, the Aussie sailors probably do...
10/07/2009 11:27 PM
Best ad "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of All thay Threaten It"; next best was the one with swim fin prints on the moonlight beach with just the sound of the surf.
Rush Limbaugh stated in one of his books; "the mission of the armed forces is to kill people and break things." I tend to agree with that (but not all Rush). I told my sailors that phrase alot and said everything else is simply a collateral duty.
We've got too many PC, touchy-feely, hand-wringing, old women running this Navy and its time for me to leave. They're example is driving the junior folks to second guess every decision they make, paralyzing the chain of command at EVERY level. I retire real soon (<100 days soon and it will be LCDR, USN; not LCDR, GF4G.
10/09/2009 2:37 AM
It could be worse, down here, the Royal Australian Navy(RAN) has gone with.....NAVY - THE TEAM WORKS! WTF does that even mean??, I was an ET and we tried to avoid work at all costs, like all good electronic technicians will. When I was a kid it was NAVY - THE PRIDE OF THE FLEET IS YOU, that's an advertising slogan we in the RAN still talk about these days, but apparently it didn't have that great an impact with the masses(civilians)
10/09/2009 4:23 AM
IT should be: Warheads on Foreheads BITCHES! Here we come to blow some shit up! Join the U.S. Navy and FUCK SOME SHIT UP!
10/17/2009 12:35 PM
Join the Navy and see the world! Okay, I've seen it, now how do I get out?
10/18/2009 7:36 PM
I understand that there is a ideal with the current youth society to want to do something meaningful and that will help out humanity. Honestly that really is not what the Navy is about. We do help out with worldwide things such as search and rescue, hurricane relief, and etc... but that is nothing even close the our main reasons for existing. I am not sure the people who would sign up to be a 'global force for good' would even be people we would want in the Navy. As soon as they realize that they have been tricked, safe bet would be that most will turn into the lazy slackers that the Navy so desperately wants to get rid of. A few of my shipmates and myself have tried to find anyone who actually likes this and have only encountered a few kiss-ups that do.
I am however, glad to see so many who dis-approve despite the fact that it wont change anytime soon because the higher commands are all about kissing up to the CNO to say their mind and who will actually listen to the working force, the enlisted.
While trying to think of a new slogan, we tried to think of what we actually do. Hmm we sit outside foreign waters to 'pursue americas interests' (stay there until we piss people off). So i like the slogan:
US Navy: We are bored with nothing better to do, lets go piss of the world.
11/11/2009 8:24 PM
R U KIDDING? A GLOBAL FARCE FOR WHAT? SINCE WHEN DID THE US NAVY BECOME THE UN NAVY?
I have to admit, I enjoy watching all the services commercials. I find them to be great reminders of why WE serve and of all those who serve, have served and will serve. For those of us who have served, each commercial is like a micro Memorial or Veterans Day, igniting a 60 second flashback to our own days of service.
When San Francisco wanted to deny the Marine Corps permission to do a commercial there, the Corps, as always, found a way to get the job done anyway - Marines from coast to ‘coast’ (up to the Golden Gate) – great commercial. I feel an immense sense of pride when I see that commercial, and I’m not even a marine. I’m sure that in the event the Marine Corps was ever asked/ordered to respond to some major emergency in SF they would be more than professional in their response – convincing Franciscans of the error of their past ways, while ‘saving them’.
The Army’s, ‘Army of One’ and the Air Force, ‘Aim High’ are also great examples of how to appeal to potential recruits. They also have that intangible ‘thing’ that appeals to a person’s sense of honor, duty, country.
Unfortunately the Navy’s commercial (probably influenced by that ‘politically correct yes man’ Mullins guy) misses the mark for recruiting for the UNITED STATES Navy. Sounds more like a commercial for recruiting to the ‘GLOBAL’ UNITED NATIONS (Navy), an organization that doesn’t know the meaning of loyalty, integrity or respect (for the very one [USA] that pays their way). If the Navy isn’t embarrassed by the commercial, then I’ll take the heat and be embarrassed for them – guess I’m just one of those, “clinging to my guns and bible” vets with a sense of loyalty, pride and respect for my country. As of yet, I haven’t met a Navy vet who finds the commercial ‘worthy’ or respectful of their service in the Navy. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s not the UN that’s taking care of business in Haiti; it’s the US military – Air Force, Army, Marines, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines AND US NAVY.
Although “Good” is a product of why the Navy (and even the Peace Corps) exists, I believe the primary purpose of the Navy is to protect and defend the United States ‘in a manner that may preclude the use of “Good” in its truest sense – but more like, “We kicked their asses good.” Everything else is secondary.
“THE UNITED STATES NAVY, A FORCE YOU DON’T WANT TO SCREW WITH…………….. EVER”, works for me.
CP Hutcheson, USAF Ret
1/17/2010 11:03 AM
21 year retired Navy Chief - Also came in during the not just a job time. The Navy has lost its way at least in defining its mission. A great poster summarized it "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of all who threaten it" has been replaced with a slogan promoting social justice and doing good over protecting the constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Better get back to why we have a Navy.
5/27/2010 9:16 AM
Let me tell you about my Sea Dad on my first boat. A diesel out of Sasebo. His name is deleted ‘cuz he’s’ married or dead or if he’s still alive his wife would kill him) He joined the navy in 1964. He grew up in a Mississippi shack during segregation and share cropping wasn’t his bag. Seeing the world was his dream. There were only a few ways of getting out and seeing the world then and being a black man meant even more doors were closed to him. It was no contest, when he was 17 he was gone and volunteered for sub duty. He had the biggest hands and arms I ever seen. He broke a chain wrench on a diesel exhaust fitting. He was an E-6 and a West Pac forever guy when we met in 1986. To tell the truth, I wasn’t a racist or prejudiced against blacks. I just didn’t know any growing up where I did. I was a poor white kid, quit school in the 11th grade and joined the navy to see the world. When we first met I was a little more than intimidated. I was 6 foot 1 and 150 lbs. he was six-five easy, going on 280-290, solid as a rock. He spoke so slowly and his backwoods Mississippi accent was hard for me to follow and understand; he had the same problem with my Boston accent and quick talking. He was the smartest, most intelligent guy I ever met. He spent his whole career on diesels and helped me qualify in 8 months. We hit Subic when I was a non-qual in the summer of 1987. He told me to stick with him and we rolled out the gate, over S__t River, (they put up a fence by then) my eyes took in all the wonders of Olongapo city. He told me that Olongapo was for skimmer suckers. Sub Sailors head out to Barrio Barretto, and Subic City. We hopped 2 jeepnies with some other guys and we went out to Barrio Barretto, to a bar called Island Girls. I believe it had a diving alarm from the old USS Grayback. He told me we were going to play a game of Smiles with some nuke sailors from Guardfish. I was 18 years old, a nervous wreak and needless to say, I smiled first! I had to pay for all four of us….20 bucks. After a few samples, I paid my first bar tab for a short time. “Don’t ever tell them you love ‘em,” he warned me,” that could be taken as a promise to marry ‘em and then you’d be up sh_t creek. Don’t pay their steady bar fine no neither, it about amounts to the same thing!” He taught me a lot on the beach in those days. Wisdom I passed along to my non-quals when I qualified and became a Sea Dad at the salty rank of E-3. “I have more time on the crapper at test depth than you is have in the whole Navy!” he used to say. Good luck old man…u made me a better sailor and man!
5/31/2010 2:14 PM
Ummm I would rather our navy be a US force. Let the rest of the globe protect itself.
2/07/2011 7:05 PM
Really useful information, lots of thanks for your post.
10/10/2011 1:28 PM
Maurice Flaherty, aka Mo Gamma, was my RO, Mercer was followed by George D O'Brien, aka GOOB
6/11/2012 7:27 AM
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