Forged by the Sea

October 13, 2022 will mark the 247th birthday for America’s Navy. The day also will commemorate the premier of the Navy’s latest “Forged by the Sea” marketing campaign, developed by Navy Recruiting Command (NRC) and its agency-of-record VMLY&R, to change Gen Z’s current mindset about Navy service.

The Navy primarily recruits 17-to-24-year-olds, whose perceptions about military service have changed dramatically in the last few years due to many issues, including COVID, a strong job market, and a lack of personal connection to military life. Today, just 2 percent of the youth market is eligible and motivated to serve, and many of the remaining 98 percent say “never” to a Navy career before ever exploring the possibilities. This lack of propensity is creating a challenging recruiting environment for all the military branches.
The new campaign features current Sailors sharing life-changing experiences and opportunities Gen-Zers are missing out on by not considering a Navy career. Among the new creative elements are one 60-second film, two 30-second films, three 6-second films, and two 15-second films, all of which will be part of a paid media campaign on the digital and social media platforms most popular with Gen Z. WPP agency Wavemaker will oversee paid media placements. Complementary content will be featured on Navy.com and the #AmericasNavy social media channels, and the key themes will be strategically integrated into experiential, direct, and public relations efforts.