United States Marine Corps Launches New Diversity Campaign

NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As the United States Marine Corps readies to celebrate its 237th birthday on November 10, today the Marine Corps announces the launch of its diversity officer campaign in collaboration with its advertising firms, UniWorld Group and JWT. The campaign conveys the dedication, leadership, judgment and poise that make up the very essence of every Marine Officer serving our country. So, it is particularly notable this campaign focuses on diversity, which expands the Marine Corps' connectedness and special relationship with the American public. The new campaign, Fighting with Purpose, is intended to reinforce the broader notion of service — helping others who are in need.

"This campaign reinforces the Marine Corps' commitment to attract, mentor and retain the most talented men and women who bring a diversity of background, culture and skill in service to our Nation," said Maj. Gen. Joseph L. Osterman, Commanding General, Marine Corps Recruiting Command, Quantico, VA. "Furthermore, 'Fighting with Purpose' represents an expanded investment in focused advertising to support the recruitment of a diverse and representative officer corps that has the cultural expertise, language skill sets and a variety of philosophies needed to meet the operational requirements of the Marine Corps."

The campaign demonstrates how the Corps' ethos resonates with millennial prospects' values --what they seek to do and be -- and what the Marine Corps is and does within its spectrum of missions. Fighting with Purpose was developed based on the insight that for the diversity prospect audience in particular, the idea of service applies to helping those in need wherever they may be at home or abroad. The Fighting with Purpose campaign is intended to communicate, through personal storytelling that features two officers and those they've affected during their everyday lives, how Marines make both a global and local community impact.

"'Fighting with Purpose' is our diversity officer-focused expansion of the ongoing general market campaign, 'Toward the Sounds of Chaos,' said Maj. Gen. Osterman, "The entire campaign is a testimony to the commitment Marines make to their Corps, country and community."

The campaign will be a 360-degree integrated outreach effort consisting of television, print, digital and mobile to increase Marine Corps brand affinity and consideration of service. Featured in the Fighting with Purpose campaign are two officers from diverse backgrounds: Captain Monica L. Meese, a Casa Grande, Arizona resident currently based on Andrews Air Force Base as a Pilot and First Lieutenant Drexel Rashawn King, a Raleigh, North Carolina native currently based in Camp Pendleton as an Infantry Officer.

As a Pilot, Captain Monica Meese has the extremely important mission of executive transport; providing safe and superior worldwide support to the highest-ranking government officials and senior leadership of the Department of the Navy. But her story does not stop there. As the print campaign headline suggests, "missions may change, but our commitment never will," she is also dedicated to her community as showcased via the digital campaign also set to debut on November 8, 2012 at www.Marines.com/Impact.

First Lieutenant Drexel King is featured in the Fighting with Purpose campaign television spot, set to air nationally and on syndicated cable outlets. On Marines.com/Impact, First Lieutenant Drexel King is profiled alongside his wife, Johnna King, and his mother, Robbin King. In the thirty-second (:30) TV commercial, First Lieutenant King is walking through his community of Raleigh, NC, where its members are able to show their admiration and respect. From the neighborhood block, he transitions to another part of the world, in full battle gear, as he leads a humanitarian/stabilization mission. The campaign shows the effect a single Marine has on his or her hometown—the children, students and community members who revere him/her—Fighting with Purpose shows how every Marine makes both a local and global impact.

In the newly developed digital execution, the Fighting with Purpose landing page will debut a fifth section within the "Global Impact" navigation pillar of Marines.com that has been developed to house the extended Fighting with Purpose storytelling content. This section of the site, known as the "Community Impact" page (Marines.com/Impact), will be an interactive experience complete with a scrollable panorama and eight web videos (four per each hero Marine). The page will also contain additional stories relevant to community impact, examples of quality citizenship and contextual linking to relatable Marine Corps content. The digital content features both Captain Monica Meese and First Lieutenant Drexel King and their respective work abroad and at home and singles out the admiration from those who also benefit from their leadership skills -- their families and local communities.

To learn more about the Marine Corps and its recruiting efforts, visit www.Marines.com/Impact.

SOURCE United States Marine Corps