MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. – The Marine Corps Recruiting Command was honored to receive distinguished awards for two of its diversity advertising campaigns during the month of October.

In separate award ceremonies, the Where I’m From and Montford Point Marines campaigns received first place advertising honors.

“It is a great honor to see our diversity advertising efforts recognized within the advertising industry,” said Lt. Col. Ronald J. Peterson, assistant chief of staff, advertising, MCRC. “One of our primary goals is to improve diversity representation throughout our Corps and these recognitions highlight two campaigns designed to accomplish this mission.”

The Where I’m From campaign earned first place recognition for Multiethnic Interactive Media at the American Advertising Federation Mosaic Awards in New York City, Oct. 2.

The campaign was originally launched during fiscal year 2011 and was refreshed in February 2012 to celebrate Black History Month.

Its message centers on the idea of seeing Marines as impactful members of their hometown communities, according to Peter Brown, account director at UniWorld Group Inc, the command’s contracted multicultural advertising agency.

“As you grow up, your community instills in you a certain set of characteristics that define you,” said Brown. “The Marine Corps provides a new set of values which guide your actions abroad and benefit your community when you return.”

When the Where I’m From campaign was refreshed during FY12, UniWorld Group recommended to primarily channel the message to a mobile audience via interactive media. Research showed that the target audience would over index and consumes mobile media.
Metrics showing the responsiveness of the multicultural audience have been tremendous and directly contributed to the recognition of this campaign.

“The success of targeting a mobile audience via interactive media has been overwhelmingly successful,” said Brown. “The click-through rates from this campaign were above and beyond what we had expected.”

The Montford Point Marines campaign earned first place honors in the print advertising category at the Association of National Advertisers Multicultural Excellence Awards in Miami, Oct. 30.

This campaign consisted of two print ads that were designed to engage influencers –such as parents, coaches, religious leaders and mentors within the African American community.

“The style of print in the two posters echoes the era in which Montford Point Marines served,” said Eric Lindsay, diversity coordinator, MCRC. “The details contributed to the quality and authenticity of the message behind the poster, and celebrate the achievement of our Montford Point Marines.”

The creative impact of these posters stood out and contributed greatly to the campaign’s success at the ANA Awards.

“UniWorld Group, JWT (MCRC’s contracted advertising agency) and MCRC effectively work in partnership to engage the general public with inclusive messages that have a universal appeal,” said Brown. “This success is very satisfying and speaks to the phenomenal work of the Marine Corps.”

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