VML has designed a multi-page print campaign that ran in a single issue of SkipShot magazine, which is published by USA Water Polo. The ads are all for different brands – except for the eighth. The eighth is the campaign’s charm. It asks, “Did You See Them All?” The eighth ad explains how seven Special Ops Sailors are hidden in ads throughout the magazine, and also directs readers to Navy.com, where they can receive clues to help locate the Sailors. The campaign is for the US Navy. The aim of the campaign is to reach those who might meet the requirements to join the U.S. Navy’s Special Ops and it follows the U.S. Navy Special Operations sponsoring USA Water Polo this summer in the US, as part of a national recruitment strategy.
The Sailors who make up the Special Ops community are the most elite military force in all of the world and include Aviation Rescue Swimmers (AIRRs), Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians (EODs), Navy Divers (NDs), Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsman (SOIDC), Special Operators (SEALs) and Special Warfare Combat Crewman (SWCCs). These Sailors are often involved in covert operations, and their stealthiness is critical to mission success.
Being able to find them in the ads signals that the viewer might be a good fit. So a SEAL can be spotted hidden within an Aflac ad about how the leading provider of supplemental health insurance in the U.S. helps with expenses health insurance doesn’t cover. At the same time, a diver is camouflaged in a Greater Miami Visitor and Convention Bureau promotion for the arts. A Special Warfare Combat Crew is subtly featured in a worksite equipment ad for United Rentals, while a SOIDC can be found parachuting into a TruGreen campaign about dream lawns. Additionally, an EOD Tech is placed within a National Disaster Search Dog Foundation call for donations, and an Air Rescue Swimmer can be found inside a Leidos ad.
“This unique approach highlights the adaptability and versatility of our elite forces, showing that they can seamlessly integrate into any mission, anywhere,” stated Rear Admiral James P. Waters, commander, Navy Recruiting Command, which oversees all Navy marketing efforts.
“Recruiting for Navy Special Operations demanded an approach as unconventional as the missions these Sailors undertake,” added Ryan Blum, VML chief creative officer. “Putting this together could have been a logistical nightmare—aligning eight different brands, each with its own unique goals, in just a few weeks. But the idea sparked excitement, turning what seemed impossible into a seamless collaboration.”
America’s Navy entered a partnership with USA Water Polo as part of a national recruitment strategy. VML, the contractor supporting Navy Recruiting Command marketing and advertising, negotiated independently with participating commercial brands to procure advertising space at no cost to the Navy or government.
