Irish Defence Forces create a first person shooter recruitment tool

The Irish Defence Forces are in a unique situation. As ROTHCO account director Katie Oslizlok explains; "As a small neutral country, there's a lack of understanding amongst the Irish public as to what the defence forces do which has a knock on effect when it comes to recruitment. We were tasked with changing that perception, and in doing so, convince 5,000 18-24 year olds to apply for a career with the Defence Forces. We decided to use the recruitment campaign as a vehicle for shifting brand perceptions, and immerse young Irish men and women in the awesome reality of a career in the Defence Forces.” Their vehicle in question comes in the form of a first-person shooter called A New Dawn. As part of a stunt that launched yesterday, March 10th, 2017. What began with teaser trailer and countdown on the A New Dawn microsite, soon gave way to the actual "real life" game. A sort of Choose Your Own Adventure where you are a soldier in a platoon and must make decisions that will have consequences. Advertising or propaganda meets video games meets army recruitment has been done so often it even has a name: "militainment." The Irish Defences are not the first to step into video game land. Cose Combat: First to fight was devloped with input from the U.S. Marines. America's Army, developed by the U.S. Army, has a whole slew of games. Glorious Mission is the People's Liberation Army in China's version and even Hezbollah have a few video games, too.

Client Irish Defence Forces Agency ROTHCO Agency Producer Karina Cotter & Margaret Levingstone Executive Creative Director Alan Kelly Copywriter Frances O’Rourke Creative Director Jonathon Cullen Finished Art Gerry Cole Account Director Katie Oslizlok Account Manager Aoife O’Shea Strategy Sarah Walsh Connection Strategy Catherine Halford Shaw & Emer Fitzgerald Digital Technical Director Daire Lennon Digital Designer Stephen Flynn 2D Graphics Darach McHugh Director Brian O’Malley Producer Gary Moore, Red Rage Post Production Picture Windmill Lane Post Production Supervisor Sarah O’Carroll Editor Philip Cullen Sound Mutiny Web Design & Development ROTHCO