Defense ads seek parental support

The U.S. Department of Defense has begun an ad campaign focusing on the successes of veterans.

The $1.7 million campaign, created by Mullen in Wenham, Mass., is designed to persuade adults to encourage young people to join the military.

Research shows that while parents generally support the military, they do not encourage their own children to join, said George Rogers, executive vice president at Mullen.

The five ads feature military veterans like Chad Hennings, a former NFL Dallas Cowboy who served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, and Valerie Vigoda, a musician and former lieutenant in the U.S. Army National Guard. The ads highlight qualities such as commitment and perseverance that these veterans have gained from the military.

“We focus on the more emotional aspects the military has to offer,” Mr. Rogers said. “It’s a branded ingredient to a successful life.”

A 12-page insert featuring five veterans ran in Sports Illustrated and People magazine last week and was scheduled to appear in Time this week. Full-page ads will continue to run there and in Newsweek until August.

The ads direct people to a redesigned Web site, www.TodaysMilitary.com, to learn more about the various branches of the military.

Taking off

Carry-On Cuisine LLC is officially in flight.

The Bethesda Web-based company, which allows airline passengers to order food from select airport restaurants and pick up the ready-to-go meals before boarding their flights, started running an ad in area newspapers yesterday.

The ad, created by Walczy.Hamilton.Tran.Meyers in Bethesda, is designed to build awareness of the service locally. Carry-On Cuisine is available at the three major airports in the Washington and Baltimore area, as well as in Philadelphia and Copenhagen.

The ad directs travelers to the Web site www.carryoncuisine.com, which walks the buyer through the meal-purchasing process.

“The main purpose is service introduction and brand awareness,” said Elizabeth Hamilton, a partner at the ad agency. The ad is being tested in this market before expanding to Philadelphia.

Ms. Hamilton said the agency also will start to target corporate travel agents and tour operators.

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