brands during wartime
Posted by Abe Sauer on February 19, 2010 02:15 PM
President Obama has pledged to remove nearly all US combat troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010, as America's role in the country will change dramatically.
According to a US Defense Department memo, America's military action in Iraq will be renamed "Operation New Dawn" in September. The memo states that the new name “sends a strong signal that ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’ has ended and that our forces are operating under a new mission." In effect, there has been a restructuring in the relationship between the US military and Iraq, and to explain this to world, and its own soldiers, the military is executing a rebrand of its mission.
Like many rebrands, however, the transition is complex, emotional, technical, and involves a high level of scrutiny. For example, some claim the Defense Department’s rebrand of the mission isn’t very effective because the "Operation New Dawn" name has already been used in Iraq. It was the name of a counterinsurgency campaign in Fallujah in 2004. In fact, one source claims it has been used four times.
More problematic, however, is the possibility that the impact will be diluted due to an overabundance of messaging. In addition to “Operation New Dawn” and "Operation Iraqi Freedom" American and Iraqis – civilian and otherwise – have been exposed to a quagmire of sub-branded operations over the last seven years such as "Operation Vigilant Resolve," "Operation Clean Sweep," etc.
Are people tired of these hopeful names for operations, or have they reached a point of apathy?
| Privacy Policy | About Us | Contact Us | FAQ 
