What Drives the Stylistic Differences in Swedish vs. US Armed Forces Ads?

  • Thread starter EL
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Forces
In summary, armed forces ads in Sweden and the US differ in their approach and messaging. While Swedish ads focus on the values of equality, diversity, and peacekeeping, American ads tend to highlight strength, patriotism, and heroism. The Swedish ads also tend to be more gender-inclusive and emphasize the role of women in the military, while American ads often portray men as the primary figures. Additionally, Swedish ads are more subtle and less aggressive compared to the more action-packed and intense American ads. Overall, the differences in armed forces ads reflect the varying cultural values and priorities of each country.
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
I've never seen that Army one on TV. There are many ads for the military, the current one I remember is "Be all that you can be". Most are aimed at new technology and learning. Unless you've seen all of the military ads, I don't get the point of this thread.
 
  • #3
Ha ha, related.. A few months (maybe a year or so) ago, the CIA was even putting out ads. LOL, the feds are getting desperate!
 
  • #4
Different strokes for different countries I guess. The US ads are about power, strength, patriotism (though all military ads are probably about patriotism!). Those Swedish ads seem to be trying to get people who like to be problem solvers or maybe get those people who think the military isn't for 'smart' people.
 
  • #6
Evo said:
I've never seen that Army one on TV. There are many ads for the military, the current one I remember is "Be all that you can be".
So...you're saying you haven't watched any TV in the past 8 years? :biggrin:
 
  • #7
Mororvia said:
Different strokes for different countries I guess. The US ads are about power, strength, patriotism (though all military ads are probably about patriotism!). Those Swedish ads seem to be trying to get people who like to be problem solvers or maybe get those people who think the military isn't for 'smart' people.
I'd really like to know how their target audience reacts to basic training.
 
  • #8
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #9
I thought the sweed version was rather dumb and had nothing to do with the military. I want a strong bad ass military commercial with cool guns, tanks, airplanes, and mottos like 'courage, honor, etc'. Thats what the military is about. Not doing brain fart puzzles. Based on the commercials, I'd never join the sweed army. It comes off more like a police force, plus there dressed like bums who should design a website, not fight a war.

'Semper Fi Do or Die OO-RAH-Rah!'
 
Last edited:
  • #10
Cyrus, that would be "Swede", sorry, but I have itches to correct things like that, especially if they make people in the U.S. seem stupider to the rest of the world. I'm sure it was just a slip of the fingers, but anyways. Prolly the reason the Swedish one didn't really show many combat related scenes is because the Swedes haven't needed to show military might for quite a while. (I believe not since WWII) Much like Norway.
 
  • #11
Allright smart guy, swede.
 
  • #12


Hahaha
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #13
You're comparing ads for Swedish officers to American Army enlisted.

The US Air Force looks for a different type of person than the Army:





They even look for a few good scientists and engineers:




Of course, if you're Army or Marines, you probably think this commercial is more appropriate for the Air Force:



Hmm, maybe I shouldn't laugh. Actually, I did everything in that last commercial at least once - except pushing a broom across the runway. We just did a FOD walk looking for trash and debris on the runway ... after an air show, of course.

Besides, if you're Air Force, you think this is an appropriate commercial for the Army:

 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #14
Russian army promotional video.



This goes a little bit beyond of what I can understand :confused:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #15
Remember that Sweden still has a system with compulsory(sort of) military service for all men between the age of 18 to 47.
This is more or less unpaid (you get money for travel etc) and last between 9 and 18 months(I think) depending on what you do. Men generally do their military service when they are 19 (before university). Women can volunteer to do military service (and quite a few do).
20 years ago military service was really compulsary but nowadays you basically have to be either very unlucky, volunteer or do particulary well on the tests to be accepted.

Anyway, the point is that you have do have done military service before you can even apply to become a full-time soldier in the swedish army which is why the video looks the way it does. All full time personel are officers.
Also, nowadays the swedish military is almost exclusivly focused on UN peace keeping missions so in many ways it IS a police force.
In the actual peace keeping missions most of the lower ranking soldiers are NOT full time employees of the army, They are civilians that did well in their military service and then have applied to become peace keepers for a year or so (i.e. they generally know which mission they are signing up for and where they will go) . They are on short terms contracts and they go back to their civilian careers after the tour. Quite a few of them have "useful" civilan careers: police officers, firemen, nurses etc.
 
  • #16
binzing said:
Cyrus, that would be "Swede", sorry, but I have itches to correct things like that, especially if they make people in the U.S. seem stupider to the rest of the world. I'm sure it was just a slip of the fingers, but anyways. Prolly the reason the Swedish one didn't really show many combat related scenes is because the Swedes haven't needed to show military might for quite a while. (I believe not since WWII) Much like Norway.
It is still a functional military, though, right? They still have guns and bombs and stuff? They'd kill people if they had to?

I went to the Naval Academy. During Plebe Summer (our basic training), one of my roommates dropped-out after two weeks because before he went he hadn't considered the possibility that he might someday have to kill someone (or worse, send someone else to their death). That's the point - that's why those ads are a bad idea. You either build a military full of people who are incapable of carrying out their duties or you get people who quit in the second week of basic training.
 
  • #17
f95toli said:
Anyway, the point is that you have do have done military service before you can even apply to become a full-time soldier in the swedish army which is why the video looks the way it does. All full time personel are officers.
That seems very odd to me. I would think it would create a bad morale situation to separate the officers and enlisted in that way.
 
  • #18
russ_watters said:
That seems very odd to me. I would think it would create a bad morale situation to separate the officers and enlisted in that way.

The situation is similar in Finland. The reason why this is all carried out differently than in the US, is very simply that small countries like Sweden or Finland could not do it the same way as in the US. We would not have enough volunteers for anything, and right now we don't need much of defense forces for anything.

I spent 9 months in military after high school, doing some basic training, and then continued my studies in the university. Almost all men go through it, although the time can vary. Some are 6 months, some 12 months, and so on. Only small fraction of men are interested to stay in the military after the compulsory service, and those people become usually officers.
 
  • #19
russ_watters said:
I'd really like to know how their target audience reacts to basic training.

As said above, Sweden has a compulsory military service, so everyone who can apply has already been through that. (Anyway, I think it's kind of obvious that doing military service includes hard training.)

Btw, the Swedish system is probably about to change quite soon in favour of a fully professional army. This is definitely in line with my opinion, since the need for a fast mobilization of a huge defense is hardly longer there anymore. Instead the resources should be spent on smaller but highly trained and motivated forces (peace-keeping, anti-terror, intelligence, etc).

Cyrus said:
I thought the sweed version was rather dumb and had nothing to do with the military. I want a strong bad ass military commercial with cool guns, tanks, airplanes, and mottos like 'courage, honor, etc'. Thats what the military is about. Not doing brain fart puzzles. Based on the commercials, I'd never join the sweed army. It comes off more like a police force, plus there dressed like bums who should design a website, not fight a war.

But this is what I find interesting. If the Swedish army would show this kind of "strong bad ass military commercial" people here would simply just laugh their asses out. Only the most extreme "rambo wannabies" would get attracted, and those you probably don't want in the army anyway.

On the other hand, this patriotic "bad ass" Hollywood stuff works in US, while the Swedish movies probably would be seen as too wimpy. (Confirmed by your reaction.)


BobG said:
You're comparing ads for Swedish officers to American Army enlisted.

Sure that's not really fair. But I can gurantee a commercial for enlisted would never look like that in Sweden.


russ_watters said:
It is still a functional military, though, right? They still have guns and bombs and stuff? They'd kill people if they had to?

It wouldn't be much of an idea having an army otherwise.

russ_watters said:
During Plebe Summer (our basic training), one of my roommates dropped-out after two weeks because before he went he hadn't considered the possibility that he might someday have to kill someone (or worse, send someone else to their death). That's the point - that's why those ads are a bad idea. You either build a military full of people who are incapable of carrying out their duties or you get people who quit in the second week of basic training.

Don't you think it's kind of obvious for most (sane) people that soldiers are supposed to be able to kill, without having to be told so through an ad?
 
  • #20
The Swedish army has now started a campain in order to recruit more women. Quite a remarkable ad I would say:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #21
Well, the Swedish ads are aimed at recruiting *officers*, while the American one is generic, and so supposed to appeal to enlistees as well. Also, the US Army probably has the least "intellectual" appeal of any of the service branches (no offense to any Army people). Ads for the Air Force and Navy tend to look a lot more like the Swedish ads, with people sitting at computer consoles and talking into headsets and so on.

(Edit: just noticed that BobG beat me to this point)

But, that said, it is very much the case that joining the Swedish military means sitting around in quiet facilities and doing training exercises, while joining the US military means running around with a bunch of other armed guys in foreign countries, jumping out of planes and getting shot at.
 
  • #22
EL said:
The Swedish army has now started a campain in order to recruit more women. Quite a remarkable ad I would say:


I love this guy...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #23
The typical dutch commercial.


the cues

Sit (zit) = sit

ongeschikt = incapable
geschikt = capable

wie kan de landmacht leiding geven? =

Who can lead the army?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #24
quadraphonics said:
jumping out of planes and getting shot at.

By your own troops. :rolleyes:
 
  • #25
quadraphonics said:
(Edit: just noticed that BobG beat me to this point)
With more than three month.

I reopened this thread just to show you the new ad:
EL said:
The Swedish army has now started a campain in order to recruit more women. Quite a remarkable ad I would say:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #26
Cyrus said:
I love this guy...
Guy? I saw two girls.
 
  • #27
EL said:
Guy? I saw two girls.

Don't ask; don't tell.
 
  • #28
Danger said:
Don't ask; don't tell.

You're confusing me.
 
  • #29
EL said:
You're confusing me.

Sorry, El. I don't know where you're from. "Don't ask; don't tell" is the US military approach to homosexualism in the ranks. They're not allowed to ask about one's orientation, but someone who 'outs' him/herself can be dismissed.
 
  • #30
Danger said:
Sorry, El. I don't know where you're from. "Don't ask; don't tell" is the US military approach to homosexualism in the ranks. They're not allowed to ask about one's orientation, but someone who 'outs' him/herself can be dismissed.
Ah, ok.
Is there actually a "legal" way to dismiss homosexuals from the US military if they "out" themselves?
 
  • #31
EL said:
Ah, ok.
Is there actually a "legal" way to dismiss homosexuals from the US military if they "out" themselves?

More than that; it is "illegal" NOT to dismiss them. I put illegal in quotes because nobody is realistically going to be punished for not dismissing a gay soldier, and many officers are supportive of openly-gay service people. But, legally speaking, gay people aren't allowed to be in the armed forces, so any soldier found to be gay are, technically, supposed to be kicked out right away.
 
  • #32
Being a Canuck, we don't have that issue in our military. Some soldiers might be prejudiced toward a comrade who they know is gay, but legally nothing can be done about it. They have the same rights here as anyone else.
 
  • #33
EL said:
The Swedish army has now started a campain in order to recruit more women. Quite a remarkable ad I would say:
I found the last line (about getting out of the kitchen) extremely sexist.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #34
EL said:
Guy? I saw two girls.

I meant I love you for posting this. It's an expression.
 
  • #35
EL said:
I found the difference in style of these armed forces ads quite interesting.

Sweden:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCOdUiMuhII&NR=1

US:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9LJtggZYes&feature=related


In the 2nd video, one of the guys has non-buzz cut hair. WTF!

I like the ones that actually show the army better. The Swedish ones have their own style, to be sure, but solving a rubix cube or making a maze under threat of death just doesn't seem as cool as jumping out of planes, being in those weird hazmat suits, out in the jungle, etc., you know, stuff you'd hope to actually be doing.

I mean, honestly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAqP_cFPO04&feature=related
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Similar threads

  • Sticky
Getting Started With Computers and Programming
    • Programming and Computer Science
Replies
13
Views
5K
What to make of the cattle mutilations
    • General Discussion
Replies
11
Views
5K
I Hossenfelder: Delayed Choice Quantum Eraser, Debunked?
    • Quantum Physics
Replies
3
Views
2K
What is the purpose of the OSI model and how does it partition the flow of data?
    • Electrical Engineering
Replies
1
Views
1K
Discovery Channel ads, do you remember?
    • General Discussion
Replies
2
Views
2K
Astounding: 1+2+3+4+5+ = [not infinity]
    • General Discussion
Replies
1
Views
5K
How Can Symphony of Science Inspire a Career in Astronomy?
    • General Discussion
Replies
4
Views
3K
What's the Buzz about Superb Tequila?
    • General Discussion
3
Replies
92
Views
13K
Chris Sharma: Rock Climbing videos
    • General Discussion
Replies
3
Views
6K
TED Talks on Physics: Exploring the Universe and its Wonders
    • Other Physics Topics
Replies
1
Views
3K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top