ARMY FAMILY COVENANT: KEEPING THE PROMISE
AFC ENEWS Volume 1 Issue 2 MAY 2010
Honoring our commitment to Soldiers and Families.
Family and MWR Marketers – For those who attended the SFAP Symposium in January, you heard leadership speak about the important role our Civilians have in supporting Soldiers and Families – delivering relevant programs and services to our Soldiers and Army Families during this period of persistent conflict. Your role, as marketers, may be even more important – you have the task of effectively communicating these programs and services to diverse audiences amid growing competition and information overload. Today’s programs and services will look to you for tomorrow’s answers in reaching Soldiers and Families, who continue to rely on, and request, nontraditional media for MWR information. Increasing participation in MWR programs and raising awareness of the Army Family Covenant requires consistent branding and messaging delivered at high frequency through a wide range of media. I encourage you to continue integrating social media into your current marketing initiatives. The FMWRC Marketing Directorate recognizes the resources required and is providing tools and templates to ensure you have the support needed to complete your mission. The newly launched MWR Brand Central Web site is an excellent resource for accessing AFC marketing tools. Additionally, FMWRC will continue to support your installation’s local AFC marketing initiatives through national media opportunities, including AAFES food court tray liner advertising, AAFES truck wraps, and broadcast and magazine advertisements. Many of these national initiatives, such as radio and video spots, will be available for download to meet the specific needs of your installation. Successful awareness of the AFC Promise hinges on our ability to show Soldiers and Families how MWR programs and services deliver it. Integrate AFC messaging into your MWR marketing tactics and implement an installation-wide strategic approach for communicating the AFC Promise to not only our Army Families, but our Single Soldiers and Civilians too. Thank you for your support. Regards,
FMWRC Marketing launches MWRBrandCentral.com The Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command Marketing Directorate announced a new resource Web site for installation marketing teams during the marketing functional training at January’s SFAP Symposium. The Web site, www.MWRBrandCentral.com, is a one-stop shop for MWR and AFC brand and signature information. The site includes: • Logo standards • Trademark information • Image gallery with more than 2,500 photographs ready for download and use in MWR marketing materials • Current Market Research on Army demographics and usage trends. Specific studies include Survey of Army Families and MWR Leisure Needs Survey. MWRBrandCentral.com is available to all MWR marketers and graphic designers. The site is password protected and the username and password was provided to all SFAP attendees. If you did not attend the Symposium or did not receive the login information, please contact FMWRC Marketing Creative Services Division at creativesvs@gmail.com. Feedback and comments are welcome.
Confirm Receipt of AFC Marketing Materials Please visit armymwr.com/fmwrc/receipt/survey.htm and complete the short survey to confirm receipt of all provided materials to date. If you did not receive any of these materials, please contact Robin Stapp at robin.hovey@us.army.mil. Survey deadline was
Reuben D. Jones
March 30, 2010.
Major General, US Army Commanding, FMWRC
Best Practice
Who: What:
Forts Polk, Leonard Wood and Baden-Württemberg Excellence in Marketing the Army Family Covenant Award
The FMWRC Marketing Directorate recognized three installations with the Excellence in Marketing the Army Family Covenant Award at the SFAP Symposium in January. The award was presented to marketing teams from BadenWürttemberg, Forts Polk and Leonard Wood for their efforts in marketing the AFC promise at the installation level. Their actions resulted in increased awareness of the Army’s commitment to provide Soldiers and Families with a quality of life commensurate with their level of service and sacrifice to the Nation. Fort Leonard Wood implemented discount cards, buttons and movie theater advertisements. Baden-Württemberg worked to promote key AFC messages on garrison Web sites. Fort Polk strengthened partnerships with other quality of life agencies as defined by the pillars of the Soldier Family Action Plan to reach a broad audience. The following accepted the award at the symposium banquet: Ms. Andrea Stauffer from USAG Baden-Württemberg, on behalf of Dawn Powell from USAG Heidelberg, Ms. Shelby Sarver from Fort Polk and Ms. Megan O’Donoghue from Fort Leonard Wood. Who: What:
Fort Stewart, Georgia AFC Street Pole Honor Banners
Visit ARMYOneSource.com to see what the Army Family Covenant can mean for you or someone you know.
The Family and MWR marketing team for Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield is supporting the Army Family Covenant messaging campaign through street pole banners (pictured). Displayed along main streets at both installations, the banners utilize the artwork provided in the AFC marketing toolkit. This is an effective marketing tactic for increasing awareness of the AFC. For information, contact Kathy Surges, Fort Stewart Marketing Director, at kathy.surges@us.army.mil. Incorporate AFC Promise Message into Installation Sponsorship Plan The FMWRC Marketing Directorate’s Corporate Partnership Division recommends garrison sponsorship and advertising managers utilize Army Family Covenant messaging when soliciting for sponsorship support in 2010. Highlight unique opportunities within your MWR programs where sponsors can support the AFC promise. For example, seek sponsors for family-oriented special events/programs, including Month of the Military Child, a recognition tool supporting the AFC promise. Reference the Army Family Covenant on your sponsorship and advertising sales collateral or in sponsorship proposals to showcase how sponsorship of Army Family and MWR special events and programs helps the Army fulfill its promise of providing Soldiers and Families a quality of life commensurate with their service. For more information, please contact Pierre Laxa at pierre.laxa@us.army.mil.
Army Family Covenant Account Manager Ms. Robin Stapp, Senior Marketing Coordinator FMWRC Marketing Directorate (210) 424-8546 / robin.hovey@us.army.mil
This message is distributed by the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command Marketing Directorate to Family and MWR marketing staff. If you would like to receive this publication, please email FMWRC marketing at fmwrcmarketing@us.army.mil with “SUBSCRIBE” in the subject line. Feedback and/or editorial contributions are welcome.