JWT, Atlanta's $23 million US one-minute epic opens a beachhead with young Americans.

Klaus Obermeyer of bicoastal Flying Tiger shot the "The Climb," released in February. The Marines contributed 30 men and four helicopters to the two-week shoot in Utah. The spot shows an enlisted Marine climbing a sheer 600-foot rock face with his bare hands and steely determination. At the top of the precipice, a ghostly World War II-era Marine reaches out a hand and pulls him to safety. The last shot shows a group of leathernecks standing in formation on the cliff in front of an American flag. The tagline reads "The few, the proud, the Marines."

The mood is one of triumph over adversity, teamwork, and glorious success.

The creative team at JWT didn't predict the events of 9/11, but their research did give them clues about a national challenge that would present itself to youth today. The spot they conceived last spring was right on target for a country experiencing a surge of patriotism, and required no alteration after the attacks.

"It sounds creepier than it is," says senior partner and group account manager Jay Cronin, "but the research that we did talked about these kids in very generational terms. It alluded to some kind of a challenge that these kids [the "millennials," aged 0 to 18] would face in terms of a national conflict. When we concepted the spot we drew it up taking some sort of conflict into consideration."

Cronin is referring to the extensive market research that JWT relies on to make sure that their campaigns meet the marketing goals set out by the Marines. The agency has held the account since 1954 (J. Walter Thompson was himself a Marine) and has ensured that the Marines meet recruitment targets for the past six and a half years.

But the American Marine Corps isn't exactly a marketable product. "We're satisfying the demands of the nation. We don't change to make it more attractive for people to join," says Lt. Col. James Kuhn. "What we do is communicate effectively through very dramatic metaphors and beautiful imagery: What is it the Marine Corps is about and why a young man or woman might want to consider service as a Marine?"

JWT has found that the smartest strategy is to deliver a consistent message in big, bold metaphors that mean something to their audience. For their 1995 spot they used the symbolism of a maze to appeal to the Generation X market, who didn't know where they wanted to go and how they wanted to get there.

Today, they're spotting different trends. Partly in thanks to a wide production schedule. Typically, the Marines produces a marquee spot every three or four years, aiming for strong recall and avoiding wear-out.

This time round trends among young males aged 18 to 24 included increased public participation, rising membership in the Peace Corps, belief in government institutions, and high tolerance for flag-waving. All of which told JWT that potential recruits would be looking for a sense of belonging, a sense of pride, and a way to be a part of a long tradition.

"These kids are more like the WWII generation," says Cronin (who clearly hasn't swung by his local malt shop lately.) "They have a lot of the same attitudes. They're more civic-oriented, more religious, less consumer-based and not as individually oriented."

The spot broke in February during prime-time sporting events targeting young males and in cinemas and it appears to be working. Currently, the recall rate is at 82%. Studies show that respondents recalling the ad were more likely to perceive the Marine Corps as the tough elite arm of the military, and to view new recruits as highly motivated, athletic, brave, daring leaders.

Cronin describes the Marines as an "elite warrior brand."

"We're going for a premium position in the marketplace. The Marines are smarter, tougher, and longer but the benefits are greater. The strategy has a lot of parallels with any premium positioned product."

Webfiles:
J. Walter Thompson> http://www.jwt.com
US Marine Corps> http://www.usmc.mil