I haven't been to work since last Monday-nearly a whole week off. Oddly, with a summer and fall full of 4-day workweeks, I still had real vacation time to burn, so I took the 29th and 30th off.
Long vacations provide a paradox for me-I'm kind of ready to go back to work, but at the same time I could use another day to catch up on a few matters. I suppose every endeavor could always use 'one more day', though. I think I will be glad to get back in the regular routine again.
Is it me, or does time function in two ways over the Christmas/New Year's break? Part of it seems like a whirl, and at the same time it feels like forever since the end of work on the 23rd of December. I suppose it all has to do with that break in routine as well-traveling back and forth, holiday celebrations, whatever.
Anyway, onward into 2010.
I see the Navy has a new recruiting ad campaign, the commercial for which you can check out here. I do like the intertwining of the present and the WWII images, but the slogan 'America's Navy-A Global Force For Good' kind of leaves something to be desired. I always thought that recruiting slogans should play on stretching oneself to one's limits, like 'The Few, The Proud, The Marines' or the 80's Army slogan, 'Be All You Can Be'-or on themes of patriotism. 'A Global Force For Good' sounds like a recruiting ad from 'Star Trek'-'The Starfleet-A Galactic Force For Good'. Meh.
I'd like something more along the lines of 'America's Navy-Kicking Ass Since 1776, Except For When The Royal Navy Beat Up On Us in 1812, The 25 Years After The Civil War When The Country Spent Approximately $4.00 Per Year For National Defense, And The First Six Months of 1942' but I suppose the commercial would need to be longer than 30 seconds to fit all that in.
Actually, the Navy had a winner back in the 1970's with 'It's Not Just A Job, It's An Adventure'. At least in the US Navy, if you're in for any length of time, you'll get to see a good portion of the world and do some fairly interesting stuff along the way.
But in the end, the armed forces don't ask me what I think about their advertising. Oh well...
Finally, since we're talking ads, I saw this one for Bud Light. Now this is how I'd want to do paintball!
yankeedog out.
'The Navy - A Global Force For AWSM'
ReplyDeleteNow that would have had some traction. The NZ Navy has been advertising on the back of similar themes to 'It's not a job it's an adventure' for generations and it works as well as anything. They've got the advantage over the other defence forces that touring the world and visiting foreign ports is explicitly part of the gig, much more so than army or air force.
Beer ads are always big dollar. Given that a lot of beer is image over substance, that's not surprising.
Happy New Year YD.
"Join the Mobile Navy and save the world. Service guarantees citizenship."
ReplyDelete"The United States Navy: Putting you in Harm's Way since 1776."
ReplyDelete(I can't remember which WWII admiral used the line about putting the ship in harm's way, but using him as a backdrop would be a good way to film the ad)
I was always a fan of the "meet interesting people" tag.
ReplyDeleteDoc-I looked up the size of the RNZN. 12 ships-not bad for a little country, and a good tradition. Joining most navies is a good way to see distant lands, at that.
ReplyDeleteAl-Better that than the apes in the Mobile Infantry. Four years of easy naval service and then the franchise!
Steve-A bit direct, but honest. And actually, I think it was John Paul Jones (the Revolutionary War admiral, not Zeppelin's bass player) that said "I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go in harm's way." I like the angle, though.
Stay warm down south, troop!
Bangar-My stepfather, who was 20 years in service, met all kinds during his stint.
YD, Jones did say it, but a WWII commander paraphrased it, while steaming towards the action. I had to do some googling. It was Commander Ernest Evans, in command of the USS Johnston (a Fletcher class destroyer), that was mostly used to attack shore batteries. Evans received a posthumous MoH for his actions at Leyte Gulf.
ReplyDeleteHe said, "This is going to be a fighting ship. I intend to go in harm's way, and anyone who doesn't want to go along had better get off right now."
http://www.bosamar.com/usforces/dd557.html
Steve-Well, I'll be damned. OK, then. USS Johnston was part of the escort carrier group that fought so well at Leyte when Halsey took the main heavy forces to chase the Japanese Fleet.
ReplyDelete