The Ideal Squadron Display

[Pylon]

I have the opportunity this week to design a new recruiting/awareness/marketing display for our squadron. I got a tabletop display framework from work donated which has 4 fold-out panels, optional lighting and a carrying case.  Each panel is about 22" wide and 46" tall.    I'm designing the four full color panels which one of my printer vendors from work will produce and mount.  The dimensions will be about 20" x 44", full bleeds and professionally printed. 

The neat piece about this display is that, if in the future we wanted to make more specific display panels for a targeted purpose (marketing our services to other agencies or recruiting pilots, etc.), we could create new panels and just swap out which ever ones we wanted to.  For cost reasons, I'm going to just start with the minimum four for the display and not do any "extras" yet.

My question is:  What would you put on four display panels to best market CAP?  There will not be a lot of information.  These will be short & sweet messages with a colorful picture designed to catch your attention as you walk by the display table and hopefully pique the target audience's curiosity enough that they stop and pick up literature or ask a question.   You literally only have a few seconds to catch the attention of a teenager or busy adult as they walk by your display with their head on swivel.

The challenge is that we'll be speaking two a variety of target audiences with this "generic" display.  The biggest use of the display will likely be recruiting cadets, but it should also speak to parents, potential senior members and even a bit to members of the public who should know what we do.

I saw photos of a CAP display online (I believe from IAWG? ILWG?) -- photo is attached.  I like some of the concepts, but need to tailor something for our use in recruiting cadets, seniors and building awareness - their display was at a Homeland Security conference marketing CAP to potential customers.  So -- what would you put on each of your four panels if you had a display like this for your squadron?

[DC]

The ones in the image are pretty good for marketing yourself to potential customers.

We have three trifold posterboards that we use for recruiting at my squadron, I'll see if I can get images and post them. There is one each for AE, ES, and CP.

[Eclipse]

This is ours, sorry for the poor pic.

It depicts photos of our people engaged in activities we actually do in my units and wing, this way we can speak with authority about things a potential recruit can actually expect.

I think that is the key - my biggest complaint with recruiting displays is when they insinuate resources or activities the recruting unit isn't remotely engaged in or can reach.

Whether its an airplane, and the unit has no pilots, o-ride schedule, or  training plan, encampments and NCSA's but the unit actually discourages members form being involved outside the squadron walls, or the Hummer borrowed from a local dealership with CAP decals that goes back at the end of the day, don't be surprised if new members quit when they realize they joined a different organization.

Show what you're actually doing, and discuss what you'd like to do as a side conversation.