Our military is in crisis, folks. The latest fiasco? A whopping $11 million marketing deal between the U.S. Army, the United Football League (UFL), and none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. This ill-conceived plan has not only failed to boost Army recruitment but also raised serious concerns within the military branch itself, according to internal documents and emails recently reviewed by Military.com.
Struck earlier this year, the deal was supposed to align the Army with the UFL, a second-tier alternative to the NFL. But guess what? The UFL’s inaugural season from March to June fell flat on its face. And let’s not forget about Johnson, a global superstar who owns the league and was expected to serve as a brand ambassador for the Army. He failed to fulfill his contractual obligation of posting a certain number of Army-related messages on his social media platforms.
The Army is facing an unprecedented recruiting crisis and yet continues to pour money into outdated TV ads and sports marketing deals. It’s clear they’re out of touch with Gen Z’s shift away from these traditional media forms. Despite initial warnings against partnering with the UFL due to high costs and low viewership, they went ahead anyway. The result? A projected loss of 38 enlistments. It’s no wonder Army officials are questioning their marketing strategies.
The UFL deal included extensive Army branding during games and logos emblazoned on players’ uniforms. The main attraction of the agreement was Johnson, whose cross-demographic appeal was expected to boost the Army’s brand. Each of Johnson’s social media posts was valued at $1 million, with five posts anticipated. But Johnson only managed two, severely diminishing the impact of the deal.
Now, with expectations unmet, the Army is attempting to recover $6 million from the UFL, though the logic behind this figure remains murky. Army spokesperson Laura DeFrancisco mentioned ongoing discussions with the UFL to finalize costs but declined to provide further specifics.
The UFL and Johnson’s representatives have remained silent on the matter. Meanwhile, Army staff internally expressed concerns over the UFL’s inexperience and communication issues during the planning phase, contributing to the project’s overall difficulties.
This debacle bears a striking resemblance to the National Guard’s failed $88 million NASCAR sponsorship. Despite internal warnings, both deals were approved by Gen. Randy George, the Army Chief of Staff.
Johnson’s last Army-related post was in April, featuring photos with generals and clips from a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Col. Dave Butler, spokesperson for George, expressed disappointment over Johnson’s limited engagement but insisted that efforts to rebalance the contract with the UFL are ongoing.
Final Thoughts
What a disaster! This is yet another example of our military being mismanaged and taxpayer dollars being wasted on ineffective strategies. It’s high time we demand better leadership and accountability in our armed forces. Let’s put America first and ensure our military gets back on track.
Source: POTUSPaper
Leave a Comment