Even The Army Can Use Digital Media

The Israel Defense Forces has been releasing some great videos on YouTube — which do a wonderful job of humanizing the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).: : Today a video was released of the IDF’s only co-ed combat unit — and a well spoken young woman detailing the final exercise after months of hard training.: : This exercise does exactly what digital media is meant to do — tell a story without a filter.: This segment humanizes the faces of Israel’s soldiers and shows the faces of people many can relate to.: Great: public relations: work.

Much of the media is anti-military — and the IDF isn’t loved worldwide. By addressing incorrect perceptions, the Israeli Military is starting to combat a negative reputation.: The military solves a problem and provides a solution to Israel’s: security. Promoting that solution with effective, well edited segments like these can go a long way to show relatable people. The Army of Israel: is the people’s military. It’s: 19 year old Shiri who misses her family, 22 year old Haim who talks of how he’s grown up while serving, and the Druze soldiers who speak of the battalion as their family.Putting these people up-front is smart — let them talk to the media and show their faces as: “local heroes.”

Obviously these: young soldiers who make up the rank and file don’t talk policy; instead they have a conversation about why they enlisted and what they do for: the State of Israel. They talk about the problems they solve every day on the ground, in the trenches (literally and figuratively). Once real military men and women become familiar on a personal level, even the most hardened reporter can’t help but be empathetic. It’s much more difficult to attack rank and file: people than it is an elected official or a: talking head with a chest full of medals.

Such a campaign: shows: that the military is solving problems that go beyond war and conflict (they help poor people all over the world, rebuild infrastructure domestically and in foreign lands, etc.). It: helps: promote the idea of the military as an organization of: real people,: citizens and neighbors.

This can also help in a major way improve perception of the State of Israel.

It’s a real win-win and one many will undoubtedly get goose bumps watching.: : Something a professional: PR Agency: absolutely says big thumbs up – Segments can be viewed at:http://www.youtube.com/user/idfnadesk: 

Ronn Torossian: is CEO of: 5WPR, a NY: PR Firm. His book “For Immediate Release” is available at:http://www.amazon.com/For-Immediate-Release-Game-Changing-Relations/dp/1936661160

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