CAP's Brand Image

[Майор Хаткевич]

The problem is...CAP is so...vast in it's missions, it's hard to formulate an elevator speech.

Sorry but vast?    Three is vast?

Because I can just tell someone CAP does ES, AE, CP, and call it a day?

i would you expect to be a little more forth coming then that....but yeah.....I can explain our three missions to a prospective member in less then 10 minutes...and hit all our the high light.

We got a CP that focuses on leadership training, character development, aerospace education and physical fitness.  Its goal is to make our young people better citizens by using a military training model.

We got an ES missions that provides air and ground assets to conduct SAR, Disaster relief, counter narcotics, to local, state, and federal agencies.  We also provide support to Homeland Security, and USAF training operations. 

We have an AE mission that aims to educate our cadets, our adult members and the community at large about the value of aerospace power. 

That's not too vast.

Elevator speech != 10 minutes.

Elevator speech can be turned into radio or TV spot. A 10 minute lecture or even your (very good, brief but broad explanation) wouldn't work for that.

[SarDragon]

MAC ceased to exist almost 23 years ago...  1 June 1992.

AMC arose from that which was MAC. Lot of money to change two letters around.

Just, ah, just to let y'all know... TAC and SAC are gone too.

: P

And before MAC, it was MATS. I flew on MATS flight back in the late '50s. It took me (and many others) well into the '70s to get used to the MAC name.

[PHall]

AMC was MAC with SAC's tankers added. Not a whole lot changed.
ACC was still the Fighter Pilot Mafia.
Killing off SAC was a bad idea as the incidents with the Nukes and the Missiles have proved...

[TheTravelingAirman]

Aye, not a lot changed from MAC to AMC, but...I'm a PACAF guy. Realignment didn't affect us or USAFE much (not that I've been in that long, but I can read). Spent most of my career as PACAF and am fortunate enough to be going back for round 3.

I can't argue with the inactivation of SAC as a mistake, one with far reaching consequences we are STILL seeing in GSC. Lessons hard learned, but the Fighter Mafia doesn't seem to care about anything that isn't one of their airframes (personal opinion). We lost those nukes a while ago, and we are still fighting morale issues in the missile forces.

[NIN]

"So in other Brand Image News, CAP'ers can't decide on a brand image because we are SO EASILY DISTRACTED."

Gosh. I thought my adult-onset internet-induced ADHD was bad.

[TheTravelingAirman]

We know it'd be different if we were doing this in person at some conference. Us being on here however...

[JeffDG]

The problem is...CAP is so...vast in it's missions, it's hard to formulate an elevator speech.

Sorry but vast?    Three is vast?

Because I can just tell someone CAP does ES, AE, CP, and call it a day?

i would you expect to be a little more forth coming then that....but yeah.....I can explain our three missions to a prospective member in less then 10 minutes...and hit all our the high light.

What the hell kind of building do you work in that you can give 10 minute elevator speeches?   

[Майор Хаткевич]

Stargate Command? Area 51?

[Jaison009]

As a Cadet Officer I flew to and from with 2 other Cadet Officers from Kulis air national guard base in Anchorage, Alaska to the Sparks, NV area for the Pacific Region Conference held at John Ascuga's Golden Nugget. That was just a few years before 9/11.

quote author=PHall link=topic=19809.msg365708#msg365708 date=1426811978]

Also, up until 15 years ago, we had the privilege of MAC airlift for members to use to get to national conferences, encampments, and NCSA's.

That must have been in the "other" MAC, because the one I was in didn't fly CAP on anything other then on a Space Available, Non-Interferece basis.
15 years ago we were a bit busy flying to and from sandy areas!
[/quote]

[PHall]

As a Cadet Officer I flew to and from with 2 other Cadet Officers from Kulis air national guard base in Anchorage, Alaska to the Sparks, NV area for the Pacific Region Conference held at John Ascuga's Golden Nugget. That was just a few years before 9/11.

quote author=PHall link=topic=19809.msg365708#msg365708 date=1426811978]

Also, up until 15 years ago, we had the privilege of MAC airlift for members to use to get to national conferences, encampments, and NCSA's.

That must have been in the "other" MAC, because the one I was in didn't fly CAP on anything other then on a Space Available, Non-Interferece basis.
15 years ago we were a bit busy flying to and from sandy areas!

[/quote]

You answered your own question, you flew out of Kulis which means that the Alaska Guard was flying you.
Entirely different set of rules when it's a Guard aircraft flying on "State" time.

[LSThiker]

"So in other Brand Image News, CAP'ers can't decide on a brand image because we are SO EASILY DISTRACTED."

Gosh. I thought my adult-onset internet-induced ADHD was bad.

Apparently so.

I think Ned has already checked out of this thread.

[NatCap]

I have not been on here in many years, but this thread was brought up recently. There are a lot of good comments and ideas here.

I recently became CAP's national marketing and social media manager on the volunteer side of NHQ staff. The position was created so CAP could focus more attention on social media and branding. And I am not one of those "old people with no clue about social media" as referenced in one of the posts. ;-) I manage the FAA's social media program for aviation safety as well. There is work to do to build CAP's image, and it is not an easy task. No one will ever agree on everything, but rest assured that I am doing my best to work with everyone at NHQ and in the field to better focus CAP's identity and public recognition.

I will be at the national conference in August if there is anyone that would like to talk in person. If you would like to learn more about branding and social media, please attend the PAO Academy; you don't need to be a PAO.

Lt Col Paul Cianciolo

Mod Edit: Content of post reverted.

[Afbrat52]

Wouldn't it make sense to have the Nat. Commander call up General Johnson, the commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, and talk about how the branding and advertising of CAP could go hand in hand with that of the USAF? Maybe recruiters could have CAP marketing materials on hand at events to give to younger people, etc.

Just my $.02

V/R

C/SSgt Aidan F.

[Al Sayre]

Just as an aside, I once attended a recruiting event with the USAF folks that perfectly illustrates the recruiting hierarchy:
The USAF Academy had a big room with a whole bunch of swag and about 4 recruiters.
The USAF Recruiters had a single room with some swag and 3 recruiters, 2 AD & 1 reservist.
The ANG had a table in the hallway with 2 guys and a bunch of ANG Swag
I had 2 chairs in the hallway that I stole from the USAF recruiters' room and a bunch of handouts that I had to print myself...

[LSThiker]

Na

Did someone knock some sense into you for posting on these forums ;-)

[FlyNavy]

Just as an aside, I once attended a recruiting event with the USAF folks that perfectly illustrates the recruiting hierarchy:
The USAF Academy had a big room with a whole bunch of swag and about 4 recruiters.
The USAF Recruiters had a single room with some swag and 3 recruiters, 2 AD & 1 reservist.
The ANG had a table in the hallway with 2 guys and a bunch of ANG Swag
I had 2 chairs in the hallway that I stole from the USAF recruiters' room and a bunch of handouts that I had to print myself...

When I was a squadron CC, we were able to order promotional materials from National. Are we still able to do such things?

[DoubleSecret]

Wouldn't it make sense to have the Nat. Commander call up General Johnson, the commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, and talk about how the branding and advertising of CAP could go hand in hand with that of the USAF? Maybe recruiters could have CAP marketing materials on hand at events to give to younger people, etc.

Just my $.02

V/R

C/SSgt Aidan F.

Nice outside-the-box thought, but the Air Force Recruiting Service has a mission and recruiting for CAP (U.S. Air Force auxiliary or not) is not it. 

[Alaric]

Wouldn't it make sense to have the Nat. Commander call up General Johnson, the commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, and talk about how the branding and advertising of CAP could go hand in hand with that of the USAF? Maybe recruiters could have CAP marketing materials on hand at events to give to younger people, etc.

Just my $.02

V/R

C/SSgt Aidan F.

Nice outside-the-box thought, but the Air Force Recruiting Service has a mission and recruiting for CAP (U.S. Air Force auxiliary or not) is not it.

Also, at least for recruiting cadets, the people going to a recruiting station tend to be older than the average new cadet

[Alaric]

I understand the need for branding in an organization, but before you can brand, you need to know what you are branding.  I would think we'd work on better defining our mission, and then worry about how social media plays into it

[lordmonar]

I understand the need for branding in an organization, but before you can brand, you need to know what you are branding.  I would think we'd work on better defining our mission, and then worry about how social media plays into it

What don't you understand about our mission?