WASHINGTON: The US Army is evaluating firms to support its long-running “Boost” initiative, which promotes the importance of a high school diploma.
The winning firm will be tasked with launching a national media campaign to motivate young people to stay in school, as well as to encourage parents and other adults to urge at-risk students to graduate, according to a solicitation notice. Research shows that about 7,000 high school students drop out every day.
“Improving the educational achievement of America's youth is important to our nation's ability to recruit, train, and retain the highly skilled soldiers we need today,” the RFP said. “The campaign will also increase the public's perception of the Army as an institution dedicated to education and positive social change.”
The Ad Council has worked on the account since 2000. The Army said in the RFP that it wants to refine campaign strategy and focus, as well as the dissemination of multimedia products to national media outlets, development and placement of in-school products, and monitoring and reporting of results.
The campaign will use a mix of TV, the Boost website, online banners, alternative media in various lengths and sizes, and social media, according to RFP documents.
The selected firm will also be tasked with seeking other opportunities to raise the visibility of the campaign, including in-school placement or recruiting celebrities to participate in facets of the effort.
Responses to the RFP were due on Sunday. An Army representative declined to comment on the RFP or the budget of the year-long contract.
Earlier this month, the Army hired Barbaricum to provide strategic communications support for the office of the chief of public affairs.
