A United States Army recruiter commissioned the Island Boys to help draw in recruits. It didn't work. Screenshot from TikTok.
Over the years, the United States Army Recruiting Command has had to adapt its messaging as well as its approach to reaching potential new recruits. Back in the day, it was perfectly normal to see “Be All You Can Be” or “Army of One” commercials on every television channel and an Army recruiter skulking around every high school in the country searching for the most physically fit C-plus or C-minus students.
Fast-forward to the modern day, and the Army has had to change up its tactics a bit. For starters, no one watches cable TV anymore. Instead, they watch videos on social media, YouTube, and various paid streaming services, all of which now feature ads for the US Army from time to time. Today’s recruiters are continuously searching for modern and innovative ways to find potential recruits in the digital space and inform them of all the great benefits that await them in the United States Army.
Enter the Island Boys.
Earlier this year, Texas-based United States Army recruiter Staff Sgt. Orlando Tamez made the bold yet questionable decision to pay the Island Boys — a pair of social-media influencers who look like what would happen if Sideshow Bob dropped acid and fought a coloring book — to create and star in a video talking about the benefits of joining the Army. The video quickly went viral.
It’s been several months since then, and we are absolutely shocked to report that this plan did not work and the United States Army is still struggling to recruit young Americans. Shocking, we know. So what went wrong? Why weren’t recruiting offices across the country flooded with Island Boy fans ready to shave off whatever sea urchins they had growing on their heads at the time and fight for their country? Well, we’ve got some ideas.
Here are eight reasons that the Island Boys recruiting ad failed miserably.
Read Next: When the Queen Broke Tradition To Support America After 9/11
Eric Miller is a former Army Combat Medic from Parkersburg, West Virginia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and has worked with homeless populations and veteran services throughout the state. He is an avid outdoorsman and has recently become interested in woodworking.
Biden will award the Medal of Honor to a Vietnam War Army helicopter pilot who risked his life to save a reconnaissance team from almost certain death.
Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.
A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.
Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.
For nearly as long as the Army-Navy football rivalry, the academies’ hoofed mascots have stared each other down from the sidelines. Here are their stories.
Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel the weapon was produced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries but gave no other details.
Ambushes make for great action scenes. Here are seven of the best to ever grace the big screen.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the launch occurred Wednesday but gave no further details, such as how far the missile flew.