New RAF TV advert

[BigGrecian]

"You don't have to be a pilot to fly in the RAF"

Has anyone seen the new RAF advert. Focuses around Typhoon, with other careers flashing up without actually showing images/footage of them. Quite dynamic - fancy music and a stadium which looks like the RAF roundel.

It's definitely a marked improvment on the supermarket ad!

[lineslime]

I bet it doesn't give a true representation of todays modern, overstretched, underfunded air force. Were there any pi$$ed of ground crew being told there are no spares or insufficient cold weather clothing available. Aircrew being told that they are about to rotate out to the gulf AGAIN, along with the groundies. Or the complete shambles that is the lean process.:*

[Itsrainingagain]

The only decent ad the RAF has ever made has never been shown outside the service as it was deemed "too hard hitting". Was a peacekeeping based vid - very powerful - very engaging. What a waste of money to make and never show!

[Hydraulic Palm Tree]

If you look carefully in the background, there is an icon for each trade or branch shown.

Very subtle, great ad IMHO.

HPT

[L1A2 discharged]

However good the ad may be, why has it been made and used at all? This years recruiting has been slashed, trade course numbers slashed, no problem getting people through the door .... just keeping them when they realise how they've been suckered.

[BigGrecian]

I suspect it's something to do with trying to increase awareness of the RAF. When on IOT I remember being shown a presentation by the Corporate Comms people, who went into the street and asked people about the Air Force, and most people thought it was part of the Army and didn't have a clue what we really do - or attempt to do. (since we're overstretched apparantly)

[The Gorilla]

And there was me thinking that recruitment was being cut right back in order to facilitate operation downsize.

Mind you someone has to justify the Reds budget!!


:p

[ADIS5000]

Just seen the new ad; it's okay, well paced, but still doesn't exactly get the motivational juices flowing.

Totally agree with Itsrainingagain, that Balkans style peacekeeping ad that never made it to TV was probably the best recruiting vid I've seen in 25 years in the mob. Deemed too hard hitting though, due to a 3 legged dog hopping through the rubble of a devastated house and a family of refugees shown in tears. Seem to recall it had GR7s supporting Chinooks with the Regt coming and rescuing the refugees. But by 'eck it made you want to join up!

Regards, ADIS

[16 blades]

Saw that ad in a cinema once - a cracker.

[Hydraulic Palm Tree]

The ad is not supposed to interest us already serving. The last ad which was awful in my opinion was well regarded by kids - aledgedly!!
Recruiting may be limited this year, but we need to remain in the public eye in order to sow the seed for those who may wish to join in next 2-5 years.

HPT

[lineslime]

With the state of some of the recruits coming through training I just can't help but think what is being turned away. Surely there must be better out there, or are they the ones showing common sense and joining up?

[bigley]

HPT,


You seem to be keen on the new advert, do you have an interest in this sort of thing perchance!?!:D

[c130 alm]

Anyone got a link to it?

[5 Forward 6 Back]

... or indeed a link to the old one, that was actually good? I'm sure I've seen it on a computer somewhere, so it must be about.

[tablet_eraser]

I was at a conference not long ago with Gp Capt IofR and a senior Corporate Comms person. Apparently recruitment will be cut to a level where we still need to be promoted, simply because the recent defence cuts have made the Forces seem like a far less stable career than when I joined.
The rough recruitment figures were:

2003/4 - 900 Officers, 3,000 ORs
2004/5 to 06/07 - 300 Officers, 1,900-odd ORs.

I tell you this because, apparently, "U NEED 2 KNOW".

Ugh.

[ppf]

For those who haven't seen the new ad it is on the RAF careers website.

ppf :cool:

[adr]

Index of the two new ads, with broadband and modem versions, here (http://www.rafcareers.com/advert/index.cfm).

adr

[hyd3failure]

Do you think the RAF need to recruit? I understood that you had far too many people. In fact at my air station we have just had 70 SAC's join as the RAF cannot employ them and so they are now working on Naval aircraft. If that is the case, why are you still recruiting?..........



....to be honest I understand that the RAF have been a bit canny and the 70 guys here are actually Typhoon engineers. BUT of course they don't have anything to engineer yet and so they have been farmed out to help the poor unfortunates.

[Jordan D]

Mike/adr ... thanks for the links.

Jordan

[FL575]

Sorry to go back quite so far, but does anybody remember what is probably the first television advertisement for the Royal Air Force. In the 60,s I think. Good film of the EE Lightning, with a chap with the most boring, monotone, voice in the world, saying 'Do you want to fly a Lightning, and take your own thunder with you?'

[nick0021]

Saw the Video earlier today and must say, as a pilot wannabe, i wasn't exactly inspired!

[BigGrecian]

If you look carefully in the background, there is an icon for each trade or branch shown.

I've just noticed there is more than one version of the ad as well picturing different trades!

I have seen it quite a bit as well, and I don't watch that much TV - so it must be being shown quite a bit either that or I watch TV at the times they're targeting certain people i.e me? :confused:

[sumps]

Just had a look and wish I hadn't - where is the sell/attraction?
I too think that the "band" add and the other one showing a war scenario ending with a Herc' dropping supplies to those in need below sold the plot that there was a convincing job to do...maybe that’s why they don’t use them! :ok: - actually we were told that the reason why they don’t use these two is they did not appeal to the hordes of young thrusters wanting to join yet the splinter ad does! Now what does that tell you?
I used the Herc' on a presentation once and have it on my computer but don’t know how to upload it. Don’t have the band one.

[tarbaby]

Son went to see what the RAF was all about. Needed to get an interview to see whether he was of the right standard for an interview, gave up because he did not see anyone with a full or half brevet.

[Ed Winchester]

Jusy watched the ads - they seem alright to me, maybe I am easily pleased.

Tarbaby - wouldn't your son prefer those with brevets and half brevets to be doing what they are paid for? Just a thought.

[BEagle]

Well, my first interview was with a Wg Cdr and a Sqn Ldr - both of whom were pilots - and they came to my school! I then filled out an application form at the 1966 Earls Court Boat Show at the RAF stand and the rest came automatically. Biggin Hill in the summer, RAF Scholarship awarded, Flying Scholarship when I was old enough in 1968, then RAF College - but then came the 'aerocrat' era and I went to University in 1969. 4 years and 130 hours flying at the UAS and paid very well after Military Salary scheme started in Apr 70; about twice the going rate for a London student grant and about 3 times (£1800) in my final year as a full Plt Off with a year's credit for Flt Cdt time (Hall fees were £6 per week!)..... Then off to RAFC again for the GE scheme; a few weeks marching, saluting and carrying logs, then 125 hours on the JP3/5 and Wings.

Somehow I don't get the feeling that it's quite like that any more.

[L-H]

Not quite sure what type of people the RAF is trying to recruit these days. Last year, before I left the RAF, I did a stint in the FI and one of my troops openly stated that she had no idea that a military career may involve being sent to austere and dangerous environments. She firmly believed that she had signed up for a secure job with prospects of a career but for her, that job/career did not involve being a fully paid up member of a military organisation. The perpetrators of this crime seemed to be the AFCO who apparently were intent on glossing up the nice bits, although I did get the impression that said young lady was probably suffering a bit from selective hearing.

Now we all know that the RAF is trying to recruit from a different gene pool to that of the Army but that type of attitude really does take the biscuit. Sadly she was not an isolated case, pretty much all her peer group were of the same outlook as were the JNCOs and JOs. As you can imagine as a SNCO who's beliefs are somewhat more traditional I had huge difficulty trying to comprehend this mindset, and frankly if this is a sign of the modern RAF I'm glad I'm out of it now. The cadets on my ATC Sqn display higher PQs.

Methinks the 'splinter' advert, although abstract and apparantly clever, may have enticed in the wrong sort. The latest Ad offering I think is better and at least does imply RAF = Military.

[sumps]

L-H

We have a similar case here there is a girl up in ops who has a degree in fashion design and admits it was a mistake joining only because she was duped into the OTC at Uni – Bit of a bugger if you don’t like this years colours or last years or even next years, its always blue green or sand! :uhoh:

Methinks the 'splinter' advert, although abstract and apparently clever, may have enticed in the wrong sort. The latest Ad offering I think is better and at least does imply RAF = Military.

You do have a point, let’s hope that it attracts the right sort of person even if the intake I markedly down for a while – and with that in mind why don’t they concentrate on resolving the internal PR issues? :ok:

S

[5 Forward 6 Back]

L-H, met a similar girl on IOT. We were standing around waiting for that morning's leader to get his brief from our flight commander, chatting to one of the other flight commanders observing.

Said girlie was a bit unhappy about having to lug an SA80 everywhere, and was standing with it hung round her neck like a millstone, moaning away. When a fellow cadet tried to point out that it was good, it made some of the elements more realistic, etc, she retorted;

"but we're not really in the military, are we?"

:}

[althenick]

Good but Shallow. Says to me that these are the jobs that are available but not much else. It does not go into the meat of the service such is depicted on the RN Adverts (to view go here (http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/static/pages/2084.html)) and click on the recruitment icons and you'll see what I mean.

[Talking Radalt]

filled out an application form at the 1966 Earls Court Boat Show at the RAF stand and the rest came automatically
So the assumption is if you (potentially) own a yacht you're automatically officer material?
All we could ever afford was a li-lo and that went pop :(

PS Turning the Boat Show/RAF trend around for a mo, do the Royal Navy recruit at Farnborough? :}

[FJ2ME]

No substance whatsoever- exactly like the sort of recruits that will be inspired by it!

Strange that they picked 'you don't have to be a pilot to fly in the royal air force' as the motto. I know an Eng O who's done half his commission and only recently has he flown in anything! Spent a tour running a helo CMF without ever getting airborne!, mostly as he was too busy 'leaning' his section only for the station to be closed in the latest cuts. Fat load of thanks for his efforts!