Vu 1

Kimberly Vu

Professor Orozco

ENC 1102

6 March 2024

Literature Review Draft

As digital natives, younger generations exhibit distinct preferences heavily influenced by

their constant use of technology and social media. Most, if not all, marketing campaigns now

include social media strategies to reach the younger audience. While private sectors and civilian

groups have rapidly incorporated social media and digital technologies into their communication

and marketing strategies, the U.S. military has been comparatively slower to leverage these

platforms for campaign strategies as a government agency. Studies such as Breunig’s

investigation into the correlation between communication and digitalism (2021) and Major

Giroux’s take on the impact of social media on civilian-military relations (2021) work together to

establish how social media can improve communication and networking. This research paper

aims to analyze how the film medium advertisements in the "Forged by the Sea" campaign

influence public perceptions of the U.S. Navy, and how they contributed to the overall

communication strategy of the Navy. To narrow down the focus, Bennington’s thesis, which

delves into the operational relevance of social networking for the U.S. Navy (2010), will be used.

The U.S. Navy’s “Forged By The Sea” campaign was presented primarily as a film

medium on social media platforms. Advertisements are considered public communication, and

specifically used to widen the net for different audiences The Navy’s perceived goal with this

campaign was to improve interest in the nautical branch of the military, in hopes of raising

recruitment numbers. Breunig’s study details how the US military acknowledges the growing
 Vu 2

role of digitalism in communication. Through this, they managed to adjust campaigns to better

suit their target audience.

The fundamental goal of advertising is to enhance interest in a product, service, or brand.

By crafting compelling narratives, presenting engaging visuals, and conveying persuasive

messages, advertisements aim to captivate the audience's attention and stimulate their interest.

As shown in this campaign, the heightened interest is intended to guide potential servicemen and

women towards the Navy and raise interest in the civilian community through neutral or positive

preference towards the Navy. Using this campaign, public perception can be swayed in a positive

light by demonstrating the benefits of joining the U.S. Navy. This in turn, boosts the relationship

between civilians and the military as detailed in Major Giroux’s article (2021).

The videos “What Matters” by the U.S. Navy and “America’s Navy: Forged By The Sea”

posted by Wakemaker Global are the primary sources used for this research. The first video is

part of the “Forged By The Sea” campaign that was put out by the Navy. It will be the main

source analyzed. Wavemaker Global’s video showed what aspects of the branch the campaign

strived to demonstrate and how it benefited the Navy. This agency was in charge of overseeing

all paid media placements for the campaign.

In conclusion, the sources named in this literature review are directly related to the

research that will be conducted. They present claims about the impact of social media on military

relations, which in turn can be connected to recruitment and reputation. Each source entails

evidence pertinent to the argument that the “Forged By The Sea” campaign did in fact influence

public perception of the U.S. Navy.