New CAP Logo?

[Lancer]

Sorry bud, this discussion has very, very, very little to do with how the logo looks.  It's about planning and identity management.

Maybe you might want to go back re-read all the post in this thread because 90% of the posts are smart alec comments on how bad the logo looks.

As you are someone who works in PA for a living, I know how much this pains you. But let me ask you this. Outside of this forum, have you taken any of your outstanding ideas (no, I'm not being a smart alec, I'm being serious) for marketing and IT directly to the people who could use the feedback? If so, what was their reaction?

[JohnKachenmeister]

I agree with Mike.  Our efforts to create a better public image are fractured, and suffer due to the fact that our "Marketing" people do not have a coherent and cohesive plan.  Or, more accurately, they have a "Plan-du-jour" and change the image, logo, slogans, etc on a regular basis.  (Weekly  or daily is an eggageration, annually is not.)

Also, what kills us is the total lack of paid advertisng.  I know this may sound cynical, but money talks.  (and you all know what walks).  I run a small business, and I paid for advertising in a local weekly paper.  After 4 weeks of paying for an advertisement, I got a call from their editor telling me that I was named "Small Business of the Week" by their editorial board, and they wanted to do a feature story on my business.

Do you think "Motor Trend" selects its "Car of the Year" based on performance only?  For the terminally clueless, no, they don't.  They factor in how much the manufacturer pays for advertising.  If the Croations had spent their entire GNP on advertising, the Yugo would have been favorably reviewed!

If the "Marketing" people at NHQ don't know this, then their incompetence is proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

[Flying Pig]

Why don't we just leave it alone all together.  Im not buying another Command Patch.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Why don't we just leave it alone all together.  Im not buying another Command Patch.

Neither am I.  You can have my "US Air Force Auxiliary" patch when you pry it from my cold, dead hand!

[RADIOMAN015]

Also, what kills us is the total lack of paid advertisng.  I know this may sound cynical, but money talks.  (and you all know what walks).  I run a small business, and I paid for advertising in a local weekly paper.  After 4 weeks of paying for an advertisement, I got a call from their editor telling me that I was named "Small Business of the Week" by their editorial board, and they wanted to do a feature story on my business.

If the "Marketing" people at NHQ don't know this, then their incompetence is proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

I don't think fancy new logos OR "paid advertising", etc determine the success of marketing & public relations for ANY non profit organization.  In CAP, it all gets down to what is (or not) happening at the squadron level.  National's support (as well as regions',wings', and were applicable groups') should be geared at providing assistance to the local level PAO's, perhaps with stories that could be placed in the local papers in conjunction with the squadrons' activities.  I don't think nationwide there's a compehensive PAO plan that's been implemented, it all hinges now on the local PAO's capabilities.  IF it is lacking, than there's little coverage in the local media.  IF it is comprehensive than there will be many stories.  My suggestion is simply perform a google news search "Civil Air Patrol", (I think there's a alert function that will send you the news) to see which units throughout the country are being successful.          
RM

[JohnKachenmeister]

Also, what kills us is the total lack of paid advertisng.  I know this may sound cynical, but money talks.  (and you all know what walks).  I run a small business, and I paid for advertising in a local weekly paper.  After 4 weeks of paying for an advertisement, I got a call from their editor telling me that I was named "Small Business of the Week" by their editorial board, and they wanted to do a feature story on my business.

If the "Marketing" people at NHQ don't know this, then their incompetence is proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

I don't think fancy new logos OR "paid advertising", etc determine the success of marketing & public relations for ANY non profit organization.  In CAP, it all gets down to what is (or not) happening at the squadron level.  National's support (as well as regions',wings', and were applicable groups') should be geared at providing assistance to the local level PAO's, perhaps with stories that could be placed in the local papers in conjunction with the squadrons' activities.  I don't think nationwide there's a compehensive PAO plan that's been implemented, it all hinges now on the local PAO's capabilities.  IF it is lacking, than there's little coverage in the local media.  IF it is comprehensive than there will be many stories.  My suggestion is simply perform a google news search "Civil Air Patrol", (I think there's a alert function that will send you the news) to see which units throughout the country are being successful.          
RM

A COMPREHENSIVE plan must include paid advertising.  The last time I took a course in this type of thing, the optimum effect was figured to be about 40 per cent of your total public affairs budget should go to paid advertising.

This paid advertising should be balanced with national and local news releases, local personal contact with news media outlets, and "Public Service" spots.

OK, illustration time:  The U.S. Army makes several types of news release.  Local (Our unit did this new training) (Our base did this environmental thing), National (The Army is getting a new gun), and "Hometown" releases (Local boy finishes Basic) (Local girl gets medal).

The Army also has an extensive paid advertising program, which recently has been targeted to the PARENTS of recruits.  A responsive PA program deals with changing conditions, and recruiters are reporting resistance from parents, not from potential recruits.

On top of that, they make available PSA's to local stations.  Notably, images of the US Army Band playing the National Anthem and filled with patriotic images to be played at station sign-offs.

THAT is what we need to do.  We have a great organization with a great message.  We are burying it by reliance on what mostly are undertrained local PA guys exclusively.

[RiverAux]

Oddly enough NHQ has imposed a requirement that every single squadron develop an annual public affairs plan (whether or not they actually have anyone willing to carry it out), but yet there is no National PA plan that meets the same requirements that everyone else has to meet. 

[A.Member]

Even more importantly, don't assume that what I bring to this conversation is not 'On Topic'.

No assumption was made.  Simply put, it seems that perhaps you got so wrapped up in your own self-righteousness that you lost site of the fact that your [censored]ing about the fact that other people are [censored]ing is definitely not on topic...nor is this resulting banter back and forth.  So, I'm done.

Subverting curse filter - MIKE

[BuckeyeDEJ]

Oddly enough NHQ has imposed a requirement that every single squadron develop an annual public affairs plan (whether or not they actually have anyone willing to carry it out), but yet there is no National PA plan that meets the same requirements that everyone else has to meet. 

If that's true, it's likely because the existing model is that the squadron PA is at the tip of the spear, and that higher headquarters PA functions are generally there to bolster the local guys.

For instance: When NHQ produces radio spots, it's not NHQ that sends them to stations -- they're requested by squadron PAs to distribute themselves to stations. When national news releases are sent out, they're sent to (you guessed it) unit PAs for them to do the legwork.

I'm not saying squadron PAs should do less. I'm saying that it's a bottom-up model when it should be more top-down, or more equalized. There's no reason that everything should come down to squadron PAs (or, in some metro areas, group PAs).

Also: Why are CAP's Web sites not more closely tied to PA than to IT? They're public-relations sites... and we push everything but the kitchen sink at them when we could have public and internal sites (wing level and higher).

[RiverAux]

You are right about PA being a local issue, but we're talking about public affairs issues at a national level in this thread. 

Incidentally, I am aware of the NHQ Public Awareness Plan http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/PA_Plan_updt_0309_3631C952D5D2C.pdf but it is a confusing hodgepodge of things that NHQ intends or wants to do and things that local and wing PAOs should be doing.  It is different than an earlier version but isn't dated so you can't tell how up to date it is. 

And while they're using the new logo that started this thread in many places, their own PA plan uses the current command patch on every page. 

[JohnKachenmeister]

Local PA's need to address local issues.  (Our squadron did this and that)  (Local cadet does good thing).  Local PA's cannot and should not be responsible for targeted national marketing, of which we do zero.

If you want pilots, advertise in flying magazines and on TV and radio programs that flyers watch.

If you want cadets, advertise on MTV, VH1, and in teen-oriented magazines.

If you want military veterans and retirees, advertise in MOAA magazine, and on cable networks like Military History.

The local PA efforts should complement the national effort.  (A local CAP group did THAT?  Hey, I heard about those guys on TV.  Wow, I could join right here!)

While we are on the subject, for the sake of everything that is holy, scrap any advertisement featuring a geeky pre-teen little boy in BDU's.  Geeky pre-teens desperately want to be cool teenagers.  Appeal to that.  Show good-looking cool teenagers in sharp uniforms with lots of airplanes.

Do you EVER see an ad for the Marine Corps that shows an unfocused, droopy-pants, long-haired twit?  No, you don't.  They never feature the raw material, only the finished product.

[BuckeyeDEJ]

While we are on the subject, for the sake of everything that is holy, scrap any advertisement featuring a geeky pre-teen little boy in BDU's.  Geeky pre-teens desperately want to be cool teenagers.  Appeal to that.  Show good-looking cool teenagers in sharp uniforms with lots of airplanes.

HA, HA, HA!

Agreed, however.

There's not a whole lot of dynamism in our recruiting literature. At least from the last full-blown recruiting brochures and posters, the typography is sedate, and the sales pitch is far too wordy. Cadet program literature should say ACTION! and get to the point quickly. Don't tell the whole story -- as any good car salesman will tell you, the magic words "come on down" do wonders. Tease 'em with the basics, and hit 'em up with the whole story at the local unit.

[dogboy]

While we are on the subject, for the sake of everything that is holy, scrap any advertisement featuring a geeky pre-teen little boy in BDU's.  Geeky pre-teens desperately want to be cool teenagers.  Appeal to that.  Show good-looking cool teenagers in sharp uniforms with lots of airplanes.

HA, HA, HA!

Agreed, however.

There's not a whole lot of dynamism in our recruiting literature. At least from the last full-blown recruiting brochures and posters, the typography is sedate, and the sales pitch is far too wordy. Cadet program literature should say ACTION! and get to the point quickly. Don't tell the whole story -- as any good car salesman will tell you, the magic words "come on down" do wonders. Tease 'em with the basics, and hit 'em up with the whole story at the local unit.

Absolutely, get rid of that 12 year old!

[BillB]

Squadron PAO's are partly to blame. How many have sent photos to National showing sharp cadets ith aircraft, or just doing normal cadets activities. Don't blame National for not using photos that local PAO's didn't send in the first place.  And Buckeye, note Johns signature. He didn't renew because of the politics in Florida Wing.
It seems PAO's today are more interested in sending photos PRIOR to chcking that the cadets uniform is sharp, or the activity is of interest to prospective cadets.

[a2capt]

Well, that kid is probably about 15 by now.

[spacecommand]

Absolutely, get rid of that 12 year old!

Did you notice the date of the post you were responding to?


Any case, the one triangle thingy seems to be gone, replaced with a even more simplified triangle thingy (eg the one used on the CAP facebook and here):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/civilairpatrol/

[jpizzo127]

We simply do not use our resources as an organization of our size in an appropriate way.  Our organization could be a household name with widespread community support and better membership performance (both in quality and quantity) -- without changing a thing aside from appropriate management of our identity, marketing communications and PR efforts.

Nailed it.

How is it most of the general public AND active military has no idea who we are? 50,000 members strong, a national presence and the official Auxiliary to the USAF and most people in all levels of government dont even know we exist.