Marines, the True American Idols Debut on 'American Idol' Wednesday

[thedrifter]

Marines, the True American Idols Debut on 'American Idol' Wednesday


During the Wednesday night episode of American Idol, The United States Marine Corps will debut a commercial called America's Marines which supports the Our Marines website that tells the stories of current and former Marines and why they serve. The site also contains documentaries of the public's interaction with the Marines during the filming of the commercial and during other encounters. It's the website, more than the commercial itself, that offers a deeper look into the life of a Marine as well as America's appreciation for them even if they don't agree with the politics behind their deployment.

Created by JWT Atlanta and RMG:Connect, the commercial and the site, respectively, were the result of a cross country trip whereby JWT and RMG:Connect traveled the country in search of interesting Marine stories to tell. A teaser version of the commercial can be seen here.

http://our.marines.com/cms_content/s..._id/167/id/821

Ellie

[thedrifter]

U.S. Marines Turn From Recruitment to Awareness With New Spots
January 16, 2008

By Eric Newman

The U.S. Marine Corps will shift from recruitment messaging to awareness and education with a new campaign that kicks off tonight during the airing of American Idol.

The spot, per JWT, New York, which shows Marines in formation across various areas of the country (wheat fields, open plains, Times Square, Hoover Dam, etc.) emphasizes the ubiquity of the Marines in American life while a voiceover explains the elite military group’s duty to defend the nation. The familiar slogan: “The few. The proud. The Marines.” closes the spot with a call to visit the Marines.com Web site.

“Some of the past commercials have been more for your [service] age-qualified public whereas this one doesn’t have a target group; it’s made for anyone from eight years old to 80 years old,” said Staff Sergeant Brian Griffin, spokesman for the Marine Corps Recruiting Command, Quantico, Va.

“We gravitated toward this [kind of messaging] because we wanted to deepen that connection with those that might never have met a Marine or understood what it meant to climb a mountain and become a Marine like in the other commercials,” such as last year’s “Climb” spot that focused on the benefits of enlistment to the individual.

While secondary campaigns will include recruitment messaging, the focal point this year will be awareness, in which the Marines’ Web site will play a key role, according to Griffin. Marines.com and OurMarines.com will provide video testimonials from current and former Marines, their mothers and other citizens, that Griffin said will further drive public knowledge of the fighting force.

Griffin denied speculation that the new awareness messaging, in lieu of traditional recruitment spots, might be motivated by the current political environment and conflicted consumer feelings about the ongoing war in Iraq.

Aside from the TV campaign, the spot will live online via the Marines’ Web sites, in addition to YouTube postings of video content from the campaign. Print and direct mail initiatives also support. Spend for the campaign was not revealed.

The Marines spent $31 million on measured media (excluding online spend) in 2006, and from January through November 2007 had spent $90 million, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus.

Ellie

[jrhd97]

Watching some of those video's brings some eye ball sweating pride

[aispurocr]

does anyone miss the Corps as much as i do?

[gwladgarwr]

does anyone miss the Corps as much as i do?

Hell, I can't shake the bastards off fast enough!

Sorta like what Henny Youngman said when someone asked Henny, who started off learning the piano as a kid but later switched to the violin.

Guy: "So, Henny, why did you start off taking piano lessons and change to the violin?"

Henny: "You ever try ditching a piano?" (ba dump da)

Sgt gw

[SLU_fly_girl]

Simply amazing! That commercial gave me chills!

The Corps claims it isn't for recruiting purposes, but dang, it makes me wish I was still active!

[outlaw3179]

Wow..Holy Sheet ..I just got a ****** hardon!

[gwladgarwr]

I didn't know if I rated a hard-on or a big cry - a picture of patriotism understated but cock-hard proud.

I wish the rest of America would pause to think about that.

But that's OK - we're used to the f*** you's - but we carry on.

Semper Fi, Marines.

Sgt gw

[thedrifter]

Austinite Featured in Newest U.S. Marines Commercial

Last Edited: Wednesday, 16 Jan 2008, 10:35 PM CST
Created: Wednesday, 16 Jan 2008, 8:51 PM CST

AUSTIN -- One Austin family got to see their Marine son in action Wednesday night. Not on the battlefield, but on TV in the latest commercial for the U.S. Marines.

Corporal Daniel Castelline and his silent drill platoon were featured the commercial that premiered during the first break of American Idol.

Parents Joe and Nancy, along with the rest of the family, huddled around the TV set in her Southwest Austin home waiting to catch a glimpse of the 20-year old McCallum High School graduate. Cpl. Castelline is one of a 32-man, hand-picked silent drill platoon, known for their expert handling of 32 pound rifles and coordinated movements.

His family could not hold back the tears when they saw the commercial air.

"It's really a great commercial. Especially when you have a son in it, it's very moving." his mother says.

His family says ever since he first heard his grandfather talking about his naval service in two wars, the Marine corporal has wanted to serve his country.

"That's what he wanted to do. He was bound and determined," his mother says. "When he was a child, he used to draw pictures of battleships .and stuff like that."

At age 10, Cpl. Castelline joined the Navy League Cadet Corp to get a jump on the military and naval training he'd need to serve.

His grandfather, Frank Gash Korean and World War II Navy Veteran, jokingly recalls Daniel's early interest in the military.

"I'd yell at him a lot. Keep him straight. He liked the stories I'd tell him about different places. I went around the world twice," Gash says.

Video
http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pag...Y&pageId=3.2.1

Learn more about video
http://our.marines.com/cms_content/s...pe/blog/id/169

Ellie

[BOTTLEDZ28]

I was lying down on the couch with my eyes closed just resting while the wife watched american idol and all of a sudden I jump up to a sitting position. My wife was startled and asked what was wrong. All I said was "I know that sound". It was the beginning of the commercial with the ever so sweet sound of rifles banging together in unity. I will never forget that sound and the other night proved it. I had no idea that commercial was even coming on either.SEMPER FI!!

[Terald T]

I have just watched the video of the commerical, felt like the first time my DI refered to me as Marine, thought I would pop my buttons with Pride.

[Marine84]

They just keep getting better and better, don't they?