Comments on: We want you!

By: Michael Doss

Michael Doss — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 18:14:58 +0000

How and why would the Army have merchadise that’s not aimed at recruiting? Why else would they do it?

The best part about it – we all got to help pay for their little expiriment in adverstising. USA! USA! USA!

By: Evan

Evan — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 13:28:36 +0000

It sounds like a general presence of the military and encouraged military worship that we have in American culture and society. Army commercials that look like video games, constant reminder to “support the troops” no matter what, and so on.

By: Jon

Jon — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 11:03:23 +0000

1) No one was profiling anyone. It was being given to patrons of a particular teen film at the box-office, through December and the 1st part of January. This happened a couple of weeks ago.

2) They were giving away “cool downloads” and other merch. The site btw, is no longer selling that merch, it was a limited engagement — or so I was told by the theater manager. She also said it was local campaign at that particular theater. She was also very clear that it was just for merchandise and not recruitment. In my eyes it’s the same thing. I dunno, that’s just how I read it.

3) I did hand the paper back. I handed back to the manager and let them know I didn’t like them advertising to me while I bought tickets and I didn’t much care for the recruitment efforts either. She basically said it was something AMC was testing out and would pass along the feedback.

I wish I would have kept the flier so I could have scanned it and posted it online. Oh well, live and learn.

By: DanGarion

DanGarion — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:33:53 +0000

So a person from the military was profiling everyone entering the building and making the determination as to who gets these advertisements?

Also I’m confused as to what this was actually selling. Are you making assumptions that the marketing piece was going to try and recruit you? Or do you have proof that shows it was going to try and recruit you instead of just try and get you to buy merchandise? I know of no official military sites that specialize in selling merchandise so I can only assume the link provided was to an authorized military merchandise company.

Could it be that the production/distribution studio of the movie you were watching was involved in this marketing and was part of an agreement with them and theaters?

I just don’t see the problem with this. You could have just handed back the paper. Right?

By: Travis

Travis — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 19:54:03 +0000

OK, carry on.

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 15:41:56 +0000

I think I didn’t like what appeared to armed forces using targeted marketing directed at youth. It’s unsettling.

Also, I am annoyed that I pay a theater to inundate me with advertisements. Also unsettling. Isn’t the point of paying so I don’t have to watch ads? That’s how it works on TV and on the Internets.

Also, I think I was just blogging. =)

By: Travis

Travis — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 15:12:19 +0000

I’m confused. Are you against military recruitment in general, or are you against property owners being allowed to select the advertisements that they permit on their property? Or are you just blogging?