ian simoneaux

A PEEK INTO THE REAL NAVY

Gen Z’s “BS filter” was the Navy’s biggest business problem. Facing a historic recruiting crisis, we knew the old, glamorized ads wouldn’t work. We had to be real, honest, and transparent.

We launched “Inside the Navy,” a social campaign that showed the real, uncut, first-person experience of being a Sailor. This new authenticity broke through, driving a +795% lift in engagement and a +80% YOY lift in leads. Most importantly, we saw a +14.6% lift in our audience saying the Navy “is a place for someone like me.”

The entire project won multiple Effies, and my role was creating “ Inside Boot Camp,” the introductory campaign that set this raw and honest tone from the start.