Winning the Minds of Youth
SQNLDR Lisa D’Oliveira
Right Image: First row: Lesley Brown, Chief of Air Force, Jan Moran, Squandron Leader D’Oliveira.
2nd row: Wing Commander Alec Sharrif, Jonathan Hales.
3rd Row: Air Commodore Newlands, Group Captain Crosland.
How do you get into the minds of New Zealand’s youth? This is a constant challenge to any organisation marketing to youth? The RNZAF decided to call in the experts in this area by using an external advertising agency. Over the past eight years the RNZAF has had a contract with Frank Advertising, previously known as Red Rocks, and with Total Media Ltd. They produced the brand ‘Bring It On’ and many other ingenious advertising campaigns including the very popular computer based game, Special Ops. When that contract expired on 31 June 2007, the RNZAF tendered for a new advertising contract.
The very competitive tender process resulted in a new advertising agency taking up the RNZAF challenge. This is a consortium of three companies: Clemenger BBDO Ltd, Aim Proximity Ltd and Total Media Ltd. Clemenger BBDO will provide overall account management and will also produce TV commercials. Aim Proximity is a direct marketing agency which will provide more targeted media such as websites and outdoor advertising. Total Media will place the creative advertisements in specific television time slots or in newspapers and magazines.
On 3 July 2007 these three companies sat down with the Chief of Air Force to sign the new advertising contracts. The first contract has Clemenger and Aim Proximity as joint contractors for the creative elements and Total Media has a separate contract for media elements. This contract signing was an opportunity for CAF to better understand some of the challenges of marketing to youth. In addition it provided the agencies with an insight into the challenges that CAF sees for the RNZAF and his desire for us to grow over the next year.
The Clemenger consortium was very impressed by the confidence and professionalism displayed by all RNZAF people - at all rank levels and in a wide variety of trades - they met during their initial tour of RNZAF Base Ohakea. They were also impressed by the amazing stories and experiences that RNZAF people told them. This has now become a mainstay of their campaign - letting our people tell their real life stories.
The new branding will launch in early September with a television campaign highlighting the fact that the RNZAF takes everyday young people on a career full of adventure. The ads will also show our extensive use of new technology. The website will be very interactive - similar to Youtube - and will require real life video footage made by RNZAF people doing what they do best. This can be on the shop floor, in a social environment, playing sport or adventure training. We will highlight all the advantages of the Air Force to New Zealanders while letting them see us as everyday Kiwis doing fun and amazing things.
The intention is to give RNZAF personnel an incentive to find suitable people to join the RNZAF. This means our 22 recruiting staff will no longer be solely responsible for finding all potential recruits. If 22 people can persuade young New Zealanders to join the Air Force just imagine how many people our 2800 RNZAF employees can persuade. I encourage RNZAF personnel to sell this Air Force as a great place to be. Our recruiting staff will ensure that we employ the right people at the right time.
The RNZAF has brought it on. Now it is time to STEP UP. PIKI AKE.