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Advertising Age, June 27, 2006

The first spots produced by the U.S. Army's new ad agency, McCann Erickson, aim "to recruit Arabic-speaking translators," reports Advertising Age. The Arabic-language spots are running in heavy rotation during World Cup coverage on the Arab Radio & Television Network in Canada and the United States. In one ad, a soldier says, "I am a bridge between two cultures. ... I make the children smile because I can speak with them," followed by "a mention of a $10,000 reward for joining the Army and the possibility of expedited U.S. citizenship."

http://www.prwatch.org/node/4932



It's in Arabic and Only Airing to World Cup Audiences

By Ira Teinowitz

Published: June 27, 2006

WASHINGTON (AdAge.com) -- It's the long-awaited first broadcast-TV work from a new agency on a closely watched $1.35 billion account. It was produced in less than two weeks, runs nationally on the World Cup and is getting heavy rotation. So why isn't McCann Erickson's first spot for the U.S. Army getting much attention? It's in Arabic.

Though the Interpublic Group of Cos. agency's full-on advertising campaign remains several months off, the shop that replaced Leo Burnett USA, Chicago, in December 2005 on the Army business has broken its first national TV ad: a bid a to recruit Arabic-speaking translators.

The push began as a local advertising initiative for the Army's 1st Brigade, which seeks 250 translators for the U.S. forces each year. But it ended up as a national buy on the Arab Radio & Television Network in the U.S. and Canada after the agency discerned what an unusual efficiency the World Cup Arabic telecasts offered.

David A. Salazar, an Army public-affairs officer, said that 1st Brigade and Army officials met with community leaders May 19 to discuss recruitment of Arabic translators when it was mentioned that the World Cup has high interest in the Arabic-speaking community and might be the perfect forum.

http://adage.com/article?article_id=110147

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