The New Cadet Recruiting Brochure

[RiverAux]

Although there hasn't semed to have been any announcement about this, there is a new 2-page cadet recruiting flyer/brochure available in the recruiting materials section on e-services. 

[brasda91]

thanks, just ordered 100

[SKI304]

For those of you who haven't seen it yet: https://www.capnhq.gov/CAP.RecruitingMaterials.Web/images/CadetBrochure.pdf

On my first cold look at this, it did not elicit a positive personal response, and that didn't change with the few other people I showed it to.  Not good for marketing material.  While I certainly try to not be the guy sitting back complaining from the sidelines, this new brochure is about 5 steps in the wrong direction and really, we NEED to edit this thing before we as an organization sink a good amount of money into further producing and shipping it.

Step 1:  This applies to the branding message (or lack thereof).  Why wasn't this tied into any other of our current marketing campaigns? I know the whole gocivilairpatrol identity is rather contended around here, but if this is the thematic feel we are trying to portray on a national level, why are we not consistently applying this with the new recruiting materials?  Let's at least use the same tag line.

Step 2: Bad graphics.  First, the MAJCOM patch, used here as the primary branding logo, is choppy and distorted - not the kind of message we want to send as a corporation.  Then there's the pixelated images.  Maybe if they were portraying some great action shot, that sin could be forgiven (but then again, poor representation of a good product leaves you with a poor product anyway.)  These pixelated images that are stuck in there have decent content at best, and I'm certain there are more compelling shots on the CAPChannel albums or *gasp* in the rank and file membership's own collections.  Even some of the good resolution images have bad content.  I'm sure C/Col Kehs wouldn't want a snapshot of him sniped in the middle of PJOC with a 5 O'clock shadow used on national level recruiting material.  At least 'Shop the stubble out, but judging by some of the Photoshop atrocities I've seen committed by NHQ as of late, I sort of cringe at the prospects of that.  Again, there's plenty of us out in the field that could do that task in our sleep and make it look good.

Step 3:

Do you want to fly? Do you want to honor and serve America? Then rise to the challenge of cadet membership in the
U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol.

I thought we were the "Civil Air Patrol" first and the "U.S. Air Force Auxiliary" second.

Step 4:

You'll find cadet life exciting if you enjoy:
• Flying
• Leadership Training
• Obstacle Courses
• Model Rocketry
• Teambuilding
• Hiking & Camping
• Earning Rank & Awards
• Search & Rescue
• Exploring Aviation Careers
• Making Friends

Okay, in terms of conveying the positive fundamentals of cadet life in an ultra-distilled manner that is easily understood by the target demographic,  I'll give them credit here.  However, the feel this conveys just doesn't seem quite cricket for some reason.

Step 5:

How much time do I have to commit?
On average, cadets meet one night a week for 2 hours and enjoy special events one Saturday each month. In summer, you can attend a week-long camp.

So, am I now obligated to make my cadets serve one "Saturday" a month?  This is just poor wording.  Sure almost every unit does one or more additional activities a month, but pigeonholing it into one "Saturday" is just getting unnecessarily specific.  This makes it sound like we only do one additional activity a month, and that activity is always on a Saturday.  Then there's that "week-long camp" line which strikes me wrong on so many levels.  What's wrong with saying "On average, cadets meet one night a week for 2 hours and have the opportunity to participate in many other activities of varied duration throughout the year - ranging from a few hours to a few weeks."

Alright, I'll step off my soap box.  This material would have been a prime candidate to put on eServices for public review and comment before we threw more money at a non-cohesive branding effort.  Looks like I'll be continuing to design and produce my own marketing material locally for the foreseeable future...

[IceNine]

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=6842.0

[NC Hokie]

On my first cold look at this, it did not elicit a positive personal response, and that didn't change with the few other people I showed it to.  Not good for marketing material.  While I certainly try to not be the guy sitting back complaining from the sidelines, this new brochure is about 5 steps in the wrong direction and really, we NEED to edit this thing before we as an organization sink a good amount of money into further producing and shipping it.

I'm afraid you've missed the boat on this as Santa's elves with the USPS left a box of these on my front porch while I was away for the holiday.

Step 2: Bad graphics.  First, the MAJCOM patch, used here as the primary branding logo, is choppy and distorted - not the kind of message we want to send as a corporation.  Then there's the pixelated images.  Maybe if they were portraying some great action shot, that sin could be forgiven (but then again, poor representation of a good product leaves you with a poor product anyway.)  These pixelated images that are stuck in there have decent content at best, and I'm certain there are more compelling shots on the CAPChannel albums or *gasp* in the rank and file membership's own collections.  Even some of the good resolution images have bad content.  I'm sure C/Col Kehs wouldn't want a snapshot of him sniped in the middle of PJOC with a 5 O'clock shadow used on national level recruiting material.  At least 'Shop the stubble out, but judging by some of the Photoshop atrocities I've seen committed by NHQ as of late, I sort of cringe at the prospects of that.  Again, there's plenty of us out in the field that could do that task in our sleep and make it look good.

The MAJCOM patch on the printed flyer (it is NOT a brochure) is not chopped, and there is only one lower-quality image on the flyer (the one with the cadets in the helo; it's somewhat out of focus).

Okay, in terms of conveying the positive fundamentals of cadet life in an ultra-distilled manner that is easily understood by the target demographic,  I'll give them credit here.  However, the feel this conveys just doesn't seem quite cricket for some reason.

I think the poor feeling you're getting is related to the Hiking & Camping and Search & Rescue bullet points.  The first makes us sound like the Boy Scouts and the second is both vague to the uninitiated and not exactly the reality for many (perhaps the majority) of cadets.  It's also NOT a key component of the cadet program.

So, am I now obligated to make my cadets serve one "Saturday" a month?  This is just poor wording.  Sure almost every unit does one or more additional activities a month, but pigeonholing it into one "Saturday" is just getting unnecessarily specific.  This makes it sound like we only do one additional activity a month, and that activity is always on a Saturday.  Then there's that "week-long camp" line which strikes me wrong on so many levels.  What's wrong with saying "On average, cadets meet one night a week for 2 hours and have the opportunity to participate in many other activities of varied duration throughout the year - ranging from a few hours to a few weeks."

I agree with you here, but the "on average" generalization allows an out if your reality is different from the ideal that this flyer wants to portray.

Alright, I'll step off my soap box.  This material would have been a prime candidate to put on eServices for public review and comment before we threw more money at a non-cohesive branding effort.  Looks like I'll be continuing to design and produce my own marketing material locally for the foreseeable future...

This is my biggest pet peeve with NHQ; CAP membership is FILLED with talented professionals that are willing (and BEGGING, in some instances) to help with things like this, yet NHQ almost never reaches out to us for assistance.  We already volunteer our time; why not allow us to volunteer our EXPERTISE as well?

[Pylon]

Hey Bill, welcome!  Great to see even more IACE '03 UK-C representation here.   

The whole branding/identity problem is a hot topic here -- just a few examples of where this crops up: 
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=6120.msg117774#msg117774
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=6670.msg123488;topicseen#msg123488
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=2619.msg49606;topicseen#msg49606

I agree with your sentiments on our identity problem.  I actually received a pile of these recruiting rack cards last month.  For our current situation (since the identity/branding issue will not be appropriately addressed by a knowledgeable professional at any point by current CAP leadership), these cards are at least an improvement over the old tri-fold CAP Cadet Programs brochures.   We're eventually moving in a better direction -- they're trying to improve the copy and appearance, at least, and make it a better representation of what most squadrons do.  The fact that someone is thinking about these things is already another plus.  Your feedback is good though, and I hope they incorporate field feedback into future versions of these.

In the absence of a quality, "whole picture" approach to doing things, I can at least support minor progress for the interim.  It's all we can really hope for.

[BillB]

Keep in mind the target audiance for this material, 12 year oilds. That in my opinion has been the biggest probelm with material from National. Ranging from AE manuals to recruiting materals to changes in regulations, these are all aimed at 12-13 year olds. National seems to forget, that the majority of cadets are above this age group and the material needs to reflect the changes in maturity and education of for example 16 year olds, to say nothing about the 18 year old cadet.
This recruiting message is in a language that the 12 year old can understand, even if misleading. The "week long camp" will be a shock when the new cadet goes to an Encampment and finds it's not all games, canoeing, swimming etc.
With 40 years in journalism/PA/PR I can agree that the membership might have an expertise that is unused by National. I'm sure a committee of volunteers with experience in PR/PA/recruiting, could come up with material better than provided by National. Better meet the neds in the field, rather than a flyer written for 12 year olds and not of interest to older prospective cadets.

[RADIOMAN015]

Bottom line in this discussion is what is the "target market" for our overall recruiting effort?   Locally in our squadron, we've seen an influx of younger cadets.  Maybe it's better to recruit younger, have them "grow up" as well as progress in the program.

RM

I'm sure a committee of volunteers with experience in PR/PA/recruiting, could come up with material better than provided by National. Better meet the neds in the field, rather than a flyer written for 12 year olds and not of interest to older prospective cadets.

[arajca]

Perhaps we need a series of recruiting brochures aimed at different age groups. Same basic information, different wording and emphasis.

[Eeyore]

^ With a consistent look and feel across all mediums of communication.

[RiverAux]

I don't think it is really practical or even necessary to have different cadet brochures for different age groups within the cadet range.  The brochures are almost always used in conjunction with other recruiting efforts such as talking to kids at airshows and are basically used to reinforce what you tell them in person.  So, they're not stand-alone resources. 

Besides, the cadet program is exactly the same whether you're starting at 12 or 17 in terms of your opportunities. 

[TEAM SURGE]

thanks, just ordered 100

Where do you order these from?

[Stonewall]

I don't think it is really practical or even necessary to have different cadet brochures for different age groups within the cadet range.  The brochures are almost always used in conjunction with other recruiting efforts such as talking to kids at airshows and are basically used to reinforce what you tell them in person.  So, they're not stand-alone resources. 

Best recruiting brochure I ever saw was from the mid-80s and was blue & white that had a cadet hanging from a rope from Blue Beret, a picture of a female cadet in an ATC tower and cadets marching.  The info covered the three missions, spoke of different activities, had join requirements and contact info.  Definitely made one believe that the CAP cadet program was cool and a "big boys club"...not a home for wayward geeks playing some online warlord game and are the ones getting beat up at school.   At least that's what I get from photos of cadets that represent our organization.

Where do you order these from?

There is a button to click for recruiting material on eServices.  At least that's how I've gotten mine in the past, but it's been more than a year.

[PhoenixRisen]

Where do you order these from?

There is a button to click for recruiting material on eServices.  At least that's how I've gotten mine in the past, but it's been more than a year.

Only SM's are allowed to successfully "click the button" for that.  You'll have to talk to your Sq SM's (team surge).

[Timbo]

Besides, the cadet program is exactly the same whether you're starting at 12 or 17 in terms of your opportunities. 

No it is not.  For National Cadet Special Activities, age plays a factor in selection......remember??

[Timbo]

......Definitely made one believe that the CAP cadet program was cool and a "big boys club"...not a home for wayward geeks playing some on line warlord game and are the ones getting beat up at school.   At least that's what I get from photos of cadets that represent our organization.

And not a dumping ground for Home Schooled Kids just hanging around at meetings for the credit toward their "graduation" requirements. 

My last SQD unfortunately was a place where the home school moms decided to send their children for state mandated Physical Activity and "socialization"/ outside the "school" credits.

Stonewall......I think the brochure you remember was one that got me into the CAP as a Cadet.  In fact I believe we had these until '93-'94?? 

[IceNine]

^ That may be the single worst attitude I've seen here in a while.  "dumping ground" whatever.

Just cause your squadron didn't handle the situation well, or you didn't like it doesn't mean that they are any less eligible, deserving, or capable than a public schooled cadet. 

The cadet program isn't about you, your beliefs, or elitism.  It is about offering opportunities that may never be offered to these kids anywhere else.  Its about socializing and hanging out outside of "school".  Its about offering chances to kids who otherwise would be on the streets, doing drugs, or whatever.

There is no room for people who are here to "deal" with cadets or "put up" with them.  If you don't see the potential our youth has then stay out of the way of those that do.

[Timbo]

^ I said "not a dumping ground for home schooled kids just HANGING AROUND at meetings......"

It was terrible, they did not want to be there, they were forced to be there by their parents, and they brought a horrible attitude with them.  NOT ALL Home Schooled kids are like that.  In my experience when one Mom finds out about CAP and the credit their kids can get for attending meetings for state education requirements, she usually tells the other moms in her "group" and then a bunch of home school kids show up.  I don't find it fair that these kids get extra benefits toward their education, but a regular "non home schooled" child who actually wants to be a CAP Cadet gets nothing.

So, attitude or not, you don't know me, I don't know you, lets not pretend we know each others motives or attitudes.  Also where in the Cadet program reg does it spell out that the Cadet Program is "about socializing and hanging out outside of school".  I must not be reading the newest regulation.

     

[Pylon]

Keep the discussion civil and on-topic.

[Pumbaa]

Hmmm... I find the opposite....

85% of our squadron cadets are Homeschooled....  They are far more serious, far more active, far more respectful than their public school counter parts.

3 of them now have their Mitchel's, One is heading to the Air Force, Another heading to Army Rangers, Another was 15 and spent 8 weeks on a missionary air base learning to fly and work with Eskimo children, she will have her pilots license when she turns 17.

I can go on...

Give me a squadron of 100% homeschoolers and I will be happy!

We actively recruit in the homeschool circles.

Still we also have a membership committee, we require a minimum of 3 visits before we even talk about membership, and we also make sure that the cadet (or senior) has the right reason for joining.  Otherwise we will not allow them to join.

We have a boat load of the new brochures and will be sure to get them out and about.  What I like is the "how Much Does it cost" question and the $100 answer...  THis let's folks know upfront that there is costs involved. 

I'm not sure why a lot of people don't think it is not going to cost anything.. I mean the boyscouts costs $$$, Royal Rangers, AWANA and other like programs costs $$ too.