NationStates Jolt Archive

Not only is Happy Feet exceedingly adorable in every possible way, but it's got very heavy themes surrounding environmental protection in it.

Child on the surface it appears to be a child's movie, by the end, it appears to be a far cry from it.

Military Ad shown at Theatre (http://digg.com/political_opinion/Enlisting_Kindergartners_at_Happy_Feet)

And, before the movie starts, you get your typical litany of ads and previews. One of the ads I saw was a military recruitment ad. I found it.. sickening. Not the ad itself, but rather the audience that the ad was geared towards.

Yes, a military recruitment ad at a children's movie.

I think the about a good 95% of the people at the theatre were children, with the remaining 5% over the age of 13 at best.

Relax. Children can't join the military. They'll have a few years to think it over. If anything it was a waste of my tax dollars to advertise the military to people too young to join up.

you know if you call the theater before hand they will tell you which commercials and trailers run before your movie.

Relax. Children can't join the military. They'll have a few years to think it over. If anything it was a waste of my tax dollars to advertise the military to people too young to join up.
It is their target audience. The military is put in their heads and glorified to people too young to think about the bad side and thus they grow up glamorizing the military and end up wanting to join. The only non-grunt earning his pay in the US army is whoever is in charge of advertising.

you know if you call the theater before hand they will tell you which commercials and trailers run before your movie.

How odd...have you done this?

It is their target audience. The military is put in their heads and glorified to people too young to think about the bad side and thus they grow up glamorizing the military and end up wanting to join. The only non-grunt earning his pay in the US army is whoever is in charge of advertising.

Kids glorify soldiers and many other people in uniform, often despite their parents wishes to the contrary. It's not just about propaganda, it seems to be a 'kid thing'. Doesn't mean they'll run off and join the army...unless their parents really back up the propaganda with their own support for the idea.

Surely Action Man, G.I. Joe, toy guns etc have much more effect on a child than a few minute advert at the cinema?

How odd...have you done this?

no, but I know people who do.

Surely Action Man, G.I. Joe, toy guns etc have much more effect on a child than a few minute advert at the cinema?
The money companies put into getting an ad of their product into blockbuster movies for a fraction of a second or the superbowl disagrees.

The money companies put into getting an ad of their product into blockbuster movies for a fraction of a second or the superbowl disagrees.

It's still wasted money. There will never be a serious shortage of people willing to pick up a rifle and defend their country. Hell, there probably won't ever be a shortage of people willing to pick up a rifle and fuck some other poor bastard's country up for no good reason. People like to fight.

Current recruitment numbers disagree with that assertion DCD. In fact they are having trouble recruiting. Seems no one wants to go to Iraq and become the target of IEDs and RPGs.

Meh!

It sounds more like the guy programming the commercials was stupid rather then some conspiracy to brainwash the kiddies to want to be soldiers.

Current recruitment numbers disagree with that assertion DCD. In fact they are having trouble recruiting. Seems no one wants to go to Iraq and become the target of IEDs and RPGs.

Military recruiters either met or exceeded their goals in July, putting the US active duty force in a strong position to finish the year with the needed number of new recruits, Pentagon figures show.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1689528/posts

Meh!

It sounds more like the guy programming the commercials was stupid rather then some conspiracy to brainwash the kiddies to want to be soldiers.
That is true, though I see it as distasteful.

As for children playing with toy soldiers; it's just make-believe. The child has no true grasp, unless VERY informed about the nature of war. The images shown in the ad shown only 'heroism' and not what the government doesn't want you to see.

Are we do short of people in the forces that we are showing this kind of thing to children? What exactly does it achieve when you show it to five year olds?

no, but I know people who do.

May I ask why?

It is their target audience. The military is put in their heads and glorified to people too young to think about the bad side and thus they grow up glamorizing the military and end up wanting to join. The only non-grunt earning his pay in the US army is whoever is in charge of advertising.

my thoughts also, but it all good whats a little more brainwashing, since we have heaps already.

I'm sure the military would love to get them while they are young, just like tobacco companies. Get them while they play with their toy soldiers and think that those Rambo movies are actually cool and that they would love to do those things as well. I'm sure it may actually work with some kids. Still, I think movies like The Guardian which seem to be cheerleading films for the armed forces would have a greater impact then any comerical.

Well at least it wasn't a Trojan Condom ad.

Well at least it wasn't a Trojan Condom ad.Why? Better get them to know about the dangers of AIDS before they start having sex.

Why? Better get them to know about the dangers of AIDS before they start having sex.

So Trojan condom ads are better than Army ads? :confused:

....who cares? as a parent it is your responsiblity to tell your kids about it (which is your bloody job), its not anyone elses fault. They show ads like that in all movies to generate money for the movie house. So please just talk to your kids instead of getting sick about it and wondering where the system went wrong.

So Trojan condom ads are better than Army ads? :confused:Yeah. Even better are AIDS awareness ads.

Yeah. Even better are AIDS awareness ads.

Yea, but are children really going to understand the condom or AIDS ads?

My problem is that this only seemed to happen after the campaign in Afghanistan was expanded. Plus, I highly doubt any theatre, mindful of its patrons would even think of playing a condom ad in any film that wasn't R or NC17.

Yea, but are children really going to understand the condom or AIDS ads?

I don't know about kids today, but I can't remember havnf difficultires understanding them when they showed up on German TV and billboards all over the country when I was 7.

Yea, but are children really going to understand the condom or AIDS ads?If they don't, where's the harm? I mean, there's nothing wrong with posters depicting condoms exclaiming "Don't give aids a chance".