Pentagon Report: "Enlist Madison Avenue To Improve Support In Theaters of Operation."

[DeSwiss]

U.S. military urged to revise tarnished "brand"

Tue Jul 17, 2007 6:10PM EDT
By Jim Wolf

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Like the maker of an out-of-favor car or sneaker, the U.S. military needs a new "branding" campaign to earn civilian support in Iraq, Afghanistan and other hot spots, a report for the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

"We will help you" could be the pitch, said the 211-page survey by RAND Corp., a nonprofit research group that carries out many studies for the Defense Department.

It said the U.S. military "brand" had been tarnished by, among other things, images of Abu Ghraib prison; the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and post-invasion gaps in getting Iraqi civilians electricity and clean water.

U.S. forces should heed product "positioning" and branding lessons from such consumer-savvy powerhouses as Lexus, Ritz-Carlton hotels and Nike, said the report. The study was ordered by the U.S. Joint Forces Command, which helps steer military modernization.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1723310620070717

*** - Another fine example of our tax dollars at work. I wonder what they plan to use to cover up the stench of corruption permanently attached to Bush and Cheney?

[Drum]

1. Yes, really...

in addition of the candidates' huge war-chests---full of our dollars---that predominantly go to marketing and media, let's also throw more treasure into the cesspools of the image-makers selling these obscene wars. :sarcasm:

:puke:

I struggle here, trying to determine which party is worse: them for pushing it, or our lazy consumerite society for craving the buy-it lifestyle...such a circle of dangerous enabling.

Are we not already in The Matrix??? :scared:

[DeSwiss]

3. Well, if we are in The Matrix....

...someone unplug me NOW!!!!!!

IMPEACH!!!

[KharmaTrain]

2. As If They Haven't Been Helping All Along???

Maybe we need to change the slogan to "GE...we bring good things to death".

More corporate welfare to pay off the enablers and keep them on board.

[DeSwiss]

4. Or...

"GE...we bring ALL things to death".

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. I like my itteration

GE, we bring good wars to life...

I actually, and purely accidentally, said that in front of their managers. He got pissed, but notice... they have not used that one in a while

[Raksha]

5. When I first saw this thread title I thought it was a spoof, a parody,

and that's NO joke! And then I clicked on link and started reading the article and saw that it was for real. That just took my breath away...they REALLY believe that spin is answer the answer to everything!

[aquart]

6. Yes. They do.

Nixon's men were originally all from ad agencies. They don't know any other way to think.

[DeSwiss]

9. It was the Nixon-Kennedy debate that convinced him....

...to go with ad people. I was a kid and remember it being on tv. Nixon looked like he was seasick. Yet the people who listened to the debate on radio thought Nixon won. But the camera loved Jack. So did most women voters.

Ever since then pretty much, everything about the presidency is nothing but one long, beauty pageant show. Intelligence and ability is frowned upon because you'll only lose the "target audience"...

[aquart]

10. I still hate Nixon.

People seem to have forgotten what a complete pig he was. But I hold a long grudge. He should have died in prison.

[DeSwiss]

11. He should have died in prison....

...as should Bush and Cheney. And a number of others from this criminal enterprise.

[aquart]

12. Yes.

Although I do prefer hanging.

[DeSwiss]

8. They're hoping the right spin will bring Bush's ratings....

...back up into the balmy 30s where he's more comfortable governing.



on edit: Oh, btw, if you want spoof: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1416418