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18 de Julio, 2007
Just Kill It
Categorized under Guerra , Hipnotismo , Iraq the Casbah , Violencia | Tags: fotoshop, Iraq, War Crimes
JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT ADVERTISERS had no soul left to sell.
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.—U.S. military urged to revise tarnished "brand", reuters.com/
"Hot Spots"—like nightclubs, except with not as much music, and lots of murder and hungry kids eating garbage and getting radiation poisoning and finding corpses with holes drilled in their heads or dogs heads sown onto their dead body. All that's missing is a disco ball!
'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.—U.S. military urged to revise tarnished "brand", reuters.com/
Yeah! I can hear it now. Want to see your country turned into Hell? We Can Help You! Or Tired of wedding parties without machine guns opening fire on you from helicopters? We Can Help You! Or Sick of restful nights? Wish your grandpa would get pushed around and humiliated by foreign soldiers knocking down the door at three am? The US Military Can Help You!
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. military urged to revise tarnished "brand", reuters.com/
HEY AD MAN: Little brass buttons that sit in a closet for years get "Tarnished." A copper penny in a cup on the windowsill will get "tarnished." A ten cent belt buckle left in the driveway gets "tarnished." What the US Military brand might be called is "Revealed." That's the nature of war, dipshit. You don't get to shoot and kill and bomb people and then dress it up like a hot-selling sneaker. Sorry. It ruins everything in sight and plants the seed of unthinkable pain for generations. THAT is why you try to avoid it, not butter up the effects with your sad, sick career trick.
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 'we will help you' line is the brainchild of Keith Reinhard, chairman emeritus of DDB Worldwide, a leading global advertising agency, the report said.
'It is a promise that can be kept,' the authors said. 'And because it positions the United States as a partner of indigenous populations, it does not usurp their authority, dignity or responsibility.'"
—U.S. military urged to revise tarnished "brand", reuters.com/
Yeah, that's what the indigenous of other lands need, Keith. For the U.S. Military to take up after Lexus, or Nike. Perhaps the new slogan will be Just Shoot it or Just Plant a Shovel on the Corpse and Say They Were Burying IEDs maybe... or Shock and Awe: Because We Want to Help Thin Your Ugly Population or We Didn't Lie About WMDs, Our President Did, or even When the Going Gets Tough, Remember: At Least Your Daughter Wasn't Raped and Set on Fire by Her Liberators!.
Many of these veterans returned home deeply disturbed by the disparity between the reality of the war and the way it is portrayed by the US government and American media. The war the vets described is a dark and even depraved enterprise, one that bears a powerful resemblance to other misguided and brutal colonial wars and occupations, from the French occupation of Algeria to the American war in Vietnam and the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.—Confessions from U.S. Soldiers in Iraq on the Brutal Treatment of Civilians, Alternet
A "dark and depraved enterprise." Use that, Ad Man! I know you can see an opportunity when it appears! After all. "Dark" and "Depraved," it's very edgy these days. Grab that Extreme youth market.
How about If you liked My Lai, you'll love Fallujah! or Snowboarding is for Babies! Waterboarding is for US Military Men!
I think we can run with this. Endorsements from phosphorus blanched corpses, catchy jingle, Hummer tie ins, more camo clothes in kids' catalogues. I see the dawn of a whole new market, fields as far as the eyes can see filled with crimson waves of grain. How exciting for you!
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Comentarios (13)
Rafael dijo:
Maybe they should try truth in advertising, that could work. Question is, are they that desperate?
Palabras por Rafael spat forth on el 18 de Julio, 2007 at 07:17 AM
janna dijo:
How horrific, my hair actually stood on end as I read this. It almost defies belief. Nezua, every time I visit your blog I leave angry. (Except when the post is about your little daughter, that is.) Thank you for really making me think, you are changing people.
Palabras por janna spat forth on el 18 de Julio, 2007 at 11:00 AM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
Janna, I really appreciate that. Although I'm not sure making everyone angry is what I want my "legacy" to be. jeje. I'm kidding. Because if someone is aware of this and not repulsed, then, honestly—I can't relate to them. But I hope you can do something useful with that anger. If all else fails, blast Rage Against the Machine and dance your heart out. Works for me.
thanks again. :)
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 18 de Julio, 2007 at 12:25 PM
luisa dijo:
Good PR for the military? I hear the best PR comes from *actually doing good things!* Fuck. this is really crazy, Nez.
hey, if they want a good image, they could trying paying back the resources they have stollen from '3rd world nations.' they could bring food and water to people. they could clean up the toxic waste their wars have left in the soil for generations to come. they could provide free medical care to children missing limbs from shrapnel bombs. that would be some great PR. they could paste little american flags on the water jugs and medical equipment--instant, effective advertising. but, nooooo, this isn't that kind of campaign now is it?
"...finding corpses with holes drilled in their heads or dogs heads sown onto their dead body." If you'll excuse me, I have to throw up.
and, yes, you are right: If people are not outraged already, they're not paying attention.
Palabras por luisa spat forth on el 18 de Julio, 2007 at 01:56 PM
RC dijo:
"We Will Help You" is a very embarrassing ad campaign and Reinhard of DDB ought to be sent directly to Fallujah for that poor performance. In terms of pure advertising value it is pathetic.
I would guess the Armed Services are paying DDB about $20,000,000 at least to just come up with the slogan.
They should pay you the money Nez. "Just Kill It" is the slogan that grabs you by the jugular and says "Armageddon, Baby!"
I am sending this post directly to Copyranter.
The Armed Services ad campaign may be even worse than the Bush Cheney Iraq Iran Campaign.
Palabras por RC spat forth on el 18 de Julio, 2007 at 03:13 PM
luisa dijo:
hahahahaha!
"Armageddon, Baby!"
RC,
that is the best military slogal ever!
Palabras por luisa spat forth on el 18 de Julio, 2007 at 03:50 PM
Emily dijo:
Nez, when I lick my finger and touch this blog post, it sizzles.
Palabras por Emily spat forth on el 18 de Julio, 2007 at 04:29 PM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
wow. i think i just heard it!
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 18 de Julio, 2007 at 05:30 PM
Richard dijo:
What about the old "Travel, Meet new people, kill them" or "Don't Ask, Just Kill"?
Palabras por Richard spat forth on el 18 de Julio, 2007 at 07:30 PM
Rafael dijo:
"Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!"
Palabras por Rafael spat forth on el 18 de Julio, 2007 at 10:20 PM
RC dijo:
Luisa, all of my favorite slogans for Humans appear in John Lennon's "Imagine". Rafael does quote one of the best military slogans ever.
Palabras por RC spat forth on el 19 de Julio, 2007 at 07:38 AM
david dijo:
Good day American friends I come from a American father and a Mexican mother day after day and I set it cold that have made some Americans are too cold with people hate Mexicans agree that anger is a saver who enters people united states to evade the rules as aliens, but we forget something brothers are equal us were assisted by you because unfortunately there is a lot of humility in mexico i a deside fetching elsewhere I do not feel any anger hasia you understand, but please just think how bad is that hatred hasia others wars etc. all take care of everyone, including the day of the 11 September attacks in mexico affection there was sorrow for the death of so many people who were not even surpasses hai only think that I do not say to allow entry to aliens, but still well not be as cold and razistas in mexico we want them to the person who is sick I am surprised that this is called LOU DOBBS is hitler in person is a hatred, anger, despair felt by the touching the issue of undocumented my illness I hase good but I only want to achieve at escrivier this message is to stop hatred and recapasiten both Mexicans and Americans were supporting each other personally, I command all my love to all Americans thank you David
Palabras por david spat forth on el 14 de Noviembre, 2007 at 12:01 PM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez
dijo:
hmmm. thank you david unfortunately, i think some of your words were lost by the translator. algunas de tus palabras son perdida...¿hiciste tu usa un traductor? el mensaje es confusa. or i am just confused. but if you are saying that you are speaking against hatred (eres hablando contra odio) between our two countries, than i definitely agree. estoy de acuerdo. no más odio entre nosotros.
finalmente, my spanish is spotty, so i may be making things worse! gracias para tus palabras, amigo.
sinceramente, nezua.
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez
spat forth on el 14 de Noviembre, 2007 at 12:33 PM