An Overview of Department of Defense Policies and Practices On Advertisers and Ad Content

These guidelines are intended to help shape your sales efforts and manage marketplace expectations as to the types of advertisers that would be acceptable, and would meet with success in the military market. The display of advertising and its creative content are more tightly controlled in the military than in civilian media. So, the more information we receive the better we can assist and help manage expectations.

Essentially there are 3 tiers of policies that impact Advertising and Event Sponsorship beginning with the Department of Defense (DoD) which has published regulations that serve as a guide in the implementation of advertising initiatives for all branches of service (Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.)

The second tier is at the branch level. Each branch has its own set of official instructions interpreting and defining how that branch must carry out the DoD’s instructions. These instructions also contain additional policies and guidelines required of its bases/ installations and are germane to its standard operating procedures, issues, and best practices.

The third is the base level where local or regional officers-in-charge can impose rules in the interest of those in their command. DoD regulations clearly give base commanders the final say of what appears on their installation, no matter how well advertising meets all policies, guidelines and practices.

And sometimes, when a local advertiser spends significant dollars on advertising and sponsorship on a base, local officials may respectfully decline ads from advertisers that compete with its largest advertising and sponsorship “benefactor,” even though having exclusivity is very rare.

From time to time ad hoc moratoriums may be placed on certain kinds of advertisers or advertising. These come and go because usually they are event-triggered prohibitions that in time resolve themselves. As a hypothetical example, a service member drinks 20 Energy Drinks and dies of a heart attack. Not wanting to look complicit in promoting dangerous behavior, acceptance of advertising for energy drinks is temporarily tabled by bases. After an investigation that documents his personal reckless behavior, the Energy Drink category is returned to the list of acceptable advertisers.

While at first glance these three levels of policies and regulations may seem daunting, we can usually get directional information quickly. Consider that these barriers to entry are also greatly beneficial for advertisers as they gate competition and ensure the advertiser’s message appears in a comparatively uncluttered environment. Finally lack of clutter, in and of itself, supports advertising effectiveness and repeat business for you.

The following is a helpful guide for the most commonly applied rules governing on-base ad placements.

All ads must include a disclaimer that it does not constitute Department of Defense, Branch of Service or Federal Government endorsement. The proper disclaimer language and specs will be provided at the time of final proposal acceptance. The actual type size depends upon the size of the finished ad, e.g., 36 pt. type on a 22” x 28” poster.

Campaigns for tobacco and alcoholic beverages (including beer) may be offered and once offered, may be accepted.

Accepted offerings would be placed in Officer or Enlisted Clubs where they will be seen only by people old enough to buy these products. The Surgeon General’s warning (for tobacco) and a drink responsibly message (for alcohol) must be incorporated into a brand-oriented message. In all cases, tobacco is a significant challenge to ever get approved.

DoD operates an on-base resale system known as the Exchanges and Commissary. They have the exclusive right to sell a wide variety of goods and services in their stores, food courts and on their websites. They also operate franchise fast food restaurants like McDonald’s, Subway, Popeye’s Chicken, and Starbucks coffee. They even run some Goodyear car repair franchises. Advertising for competitive offerings must be approached carefully.

A big box retailer or specialty retailer that carries many of the same products that the on-base retailers sell, such as Wal-Mart and Best Buy, would not get approved. However, highly specialized retailers, such as ULTA Beauty, TGIFriday’s or Performance Sound may be acceptable as long as the advertised product is not perceived to compete directly with goods and services sold by the Exchanges and Commissary.

Paid advertising from defense contractors is not acceptable if the content promotes a specific product or service. However, advertising promoting an event, patriotic theme or holiday message is welcome.

Schools or colleges must have a specific Memorandum of Understanding with the DoD to advertise on base. In addition, the branches require that a school wishing to advertise must also have an agreement with each base that the school wants to advertise on. Presently, this additional requirement applies on most bases.

Off base financial institutions are not permitted to directly compete with financial services provided by banks or credit unions that are already on base.

But there are still ways to get the brand message out. Off-base financial institutions are permitted to serve as advertisers and commercial sponsors as long as they limit promotions to tribute messages, or promote product/ services not offered by the on-base bank or credit union where they wish to advertise. Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) could advertise on bases where it is not the on-base credit union if the substance of the message is a thank you or other form of tribute. Yet an NFCU offer for a checking or savings account or invitation to become a member of the credit union would not be acceptable. Master Card and Visa campaigns would be acceptable at all bases because they are brands–neither is a financial institution.

Advertising should not encourage bad or risky behavior or mount a campaign that is counter to what the military is trying to do.

Ads should not specifically tell members to resign and take a position in the private sector. They could target those already planning to leave service. “Go to school to get a license to drive a commercial tractor-trailer, or become a commercial pilot,” would be acceptable since the ads are not asking troops to leave service, but instead to enhance their skills and marketability.

Ads need to be informative and the content helpful or supportive to those viewing the ads. There is an expectation of greater civility and courtesy within the military. Those ads deemed as too violent, sexual, political, unpatriotic and racially, religiously or otherwise insensitive, or that stereotype a particular person, group or organization will be rejected.

That’s why ads for certain products can get rejected even though ads are generally accepted in that particular product category. Here are some examples of ads that would be more carefully scrutinized:

• Entertainment products such as extremely violent Video Games, DVDs or Movies
• HBA products manufactured for use when having sex such as for condoms and gels; also certain women’s feminine hygiene products would likely be rejected.
• Alcoholic beverages with unusually high alcohol content like Colt 45 Malt Liquor
• Gambling ads would be rejected, but hotels with casinos and other amenities would not necessarily be rejected if the ad
  content focused on hospitality and the hotel’s other amenities, rather than gambling
• Companies offering high interest rate installment sales of furniture, cars, electronics and jewelry
• Diet supplements and energy drinks that are considered risky and generally looked at as a steroid or steroid substitute (this
  does not apply to most national name brand products). Contents of the product being advertised will be reviewed for
  ingredients on banned by the DoD.
• Schools or colleges that do not have a formal Memo of Understanding with the DoD.
• Ethical and Over-The-Counter Drugs, Vitamins and Supplement may not be rejected but facilities where it would be
  permissible to display their advertising might be limited. E. g., no vitamin supplement campaigns to appear in the fitness
  centers

Despite these limits there are literally thousands of products and services that represent a good fit for on-base military advertising.

As a rule of thumb most of the advertising appearing in major national publications or in TV spots will be accepted. Advertisers should be aware that all ads will be submitted for approval to the branch of service and individual bases where the ads will run. And, approval by one or more locations does not necessarily indicate approval by all locations.

Advance payment to the base is required, as it is military best practice to collect all payments upfront. Expect to pay for your campaign no less than 10 business days prior to the desired display date.