Challenges in Military Marketing Efforts
However, a steady decline in Gen Z’s favorable perception of the military has impacted recruiting outcomes. In FY 2023, multiple military branches failed to meet their recruitment targets by significant margins.
To counter this, the military must address key challenges: ensuring effective brand management, evaluating the success of their marketing campaigns, and optimizing the use of allocated marketing funds. For instance, while the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps have established risk mitigation strategies, the Air Force (including the Space Force) approaches these issues on an ad-hoc basis. A standardized process could help the Air Force better address risks and safeguard its brand perception among young people.
Room for Improvement in Marketing Strategies
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) identified additional areas requiring improvement:
- Risk Management: Only some services have formal risk-handling frameworks, leaving others vulnerable to crises or public backlash that could harm their branding.
- Strategic Goal Tracking: While services aim to attract Gen Z by linking military careers to fields like STEM, measurable benchmarks and timeframes are often absent from their plans. This oversight limits their ability to track progress and demonstrate results.
- Funding Predictability: Delays and inconsistencies in marketing fund allocation hinder the ability to execute campaigns effectively. Establishing internal processes to streamline funding availability could greatly enhance recruiting initiatives.
Why This Study Matters
As Generation Z grows increasingly reliant on digital media, the military’s digital marketing strategies are crucial for attracting recruits. However, the challenges in brand perception, resource allocation, and measurable goals are holding back their effectiveness.
The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 directed the GAO to assess the Department of Defense’s (DOD) use of digital platforms for recruiting. GAO’s findings underscore the importance of adopting commercial best practices to refine these strategies.
Recommendations from GAO
The GAO provided eight actionable recommendations to improve marketing efforts, including:
- Developing formal risk management protocols for all branches.
- Creating measurable targets and performance metrics for strategic goals.
- Addressing funding inconsistencies to ensure marketing efforts can be executed effectively and on time.
The DOD concurred with seven recommendations and partially agreed with one related to improving Army marketing fund consistency. GAO maintains that all recommendations are critical to enhancing recruitment strategies and achieving military objectives.
Bill Scott’s Comment on Military Digital Marketing Challenges
This article underscores some critical pain points that are all too common in large-scale marketing efforts. As someone deeply invested in growth marketing, I see several opportunities for the military to optimize their strategies and better connect with Generation Z:
- Risk Management Needs Standardization
Ad-hoc approaches to crisis management, like those described for the Air Force, create vulnerabilities in brand perception. Establishing a formal risk management framework is essential for handling both predictable and unexpected challenges. This framework should include a robust social listening strategy to monitor sentiment and respond swiftly. - Strategic Goals Must Be Measurable
Marketing campaigns tied to fields like STEM are a great idea but require clear KPIs and timelines to track progress effectively. Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals is fundamental to ensure accountability and continuous improvement. For example, instead of saying, “Increase STEM awareness,” the objective could be, “Achieve a 20% increase in STEM-related inquiries within 12 months.” - Digital Platforms Can Deliver Granular Insights
Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok offer powerful analytics tools that can inform campaign performance in real time. Using these tools to A/B test content—such as ads, video formats, or messaging—can help identify what resonates most with Gen Z. The military could also segment their audience more effectively, tailoring content to specific demographics within this group. - Funding Predictability Drives Success
Timely and consistent funding isn’t just a budgeting issue—it’s a growth opportunity. Predictable budgets allow marketers to plan ahead, secure better ad placements, and maximize seasonal engagement opportunities. This is especially critical for campaigns targeting Gen Z, who are highly influenced by trends and timeliness. - Storytelling Will Be Key to Gen Z Engagement
Gen Z connects deeply with authentic storytelling, especially when it highlights real people and their experiences. The military could enhance its content strategy by featuring unscripted stories of service members, showing relatable moments, challenges, and achievements.
Final Thoughts
The military’s efforts to modernize their marketing are commendable, but they need to lean into digital marketing best practices used in the commercial sector. With clearer goals, a solid risk management plan, and a stronger focus on storytelling, the military can effectively rebuild trust and appeal among Gen Z. These steps will also ensure that every marketing dollar is working as hard as possible to achieve recruitment objectives.
