The Top 12 Marine Corps Recruiting Commercials

[@ret7army]

Marines v dragons 80s for sure

[@kagan.dunlap]

The dragons one got a lot of people haha

[@Svensk7119]

BALROG. Not a dragon. Actually, I think the chess commercial was best. 80s-90s, those two. It was an Excalibur vibe.

[@JiggyGnorrus]

90s, the cgi gives it away

[@skipdreadman8765]

90's. Lived through it, _absolutely_ loved it, because it was jarheads expressing their inner Tolkien. Was busy being all I could be, had no time for fckn dragons, because the M47 was no longer in service anyway. But watching Marine fantasy dragon p*rn sure was amusing.

[@SosaLuis-h2s]

.. Soldiers that killed another human being will go to hell: Marine Testimony 👉kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZTUgIidZcupgpYsi=oR2wlB_uBeTxBuN6 If you kill another human being it's your own responsability because you pull the trigger 👉kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZTUgIidZcupgpYsi=oR2wlB_uBeTxBuN6

[@junia0607]

That first ad would still work today lol

[@kagan.dunlap]

You’re probably right😂

[@undeadpeak]

Not even in the us but the first one I was like sign me up, I want to be a stable man with a loving wife yes please

[@xLiLtEmPeR]

Can you join at 29

[@M4HRed]

@@xLiLtEmPeRif you can pass the standards

[@jorgecalero6325]

You can clearly see when the ads are shown post 9/11. They don't need to sell you a fantasy. They just have to show you powerful visuals of what you are getting into. You already know WHY you are joining at that point.

[@kagan.dunlap]

Yeah, there was definitely a stark difference between the pre-911 and post 911 commercials

[@longdinh8044]

The one that resonated the most with me was "Pride of the Nation." It played often when I was in school. "Full Circle" was one that I enjoyed because it played into the theme of service beyond service and the impact of Marine legacy

[@SosaLuis-h2s]

..😢.Never go to war for the US corporations and billionaires like all this ignorants did thinking they were fighting for freedom when in reality they fight and die for big Corporations that sell Weapons. 👉👉👉Soldiers that killed another human being will go to hell: Marine Soldier Experience 👉kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZTUgIidZcupgpYsi=oR2wlB_uBeTxBuN6 If you kill another human being it's your own responsability because you pull the trigger 👉kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZTUgIidZcupgpYsi=oR2wlB_uBeTxBuN6

[@DalibanCohort]

Vs realism: “Why tf are we at the armory this early.” “Alright, I have jalapeño cheese up for grabs. Looking for cocoa beverage powder.” “Tf you mean nOt sErViCe ReLaTeD??!” Good times. Lol.

[@kagan.dunlap]

The reason we’re at the armory at 0330 is so that we can be an hour prior to an hour prior to an hour prior

[@ferallion3546]

@@kagan.dunlapyou will be early, you will embrace not knowing why, and YOU WILL LIKE IT This why vets end up with diets of soda and donuts in the morning or things vaguely, supposedly, like those but probably made out of government cheese.

[@GnohmPolaeon.B.OniShartz]

Marines Objectively have the best Ads. Hands down. But also, Marines Clearly think their the main characters of a video game.

[@kagan.dunlap]

Hahahah that’s a fair point

[@Svensk7119]

"They're". The beginning commercials were the only ones that I recognized.

[@37Kilo2]

That lava monster almost got me. They were airing that shit on Channel One News every morning during my Senior year (99-00). I ended up joining 4 years later because the war propaganda got me. Went straight up to the recruiter and said, "I want to join the infantry". Easiest recruit he ever got, for sure. There was a lot of high fantasy in the 80s. Between the movies and Dungeons and Dragons. I think that's the reason for these absurd commercials.

[@Maximo746]

I remember all these commercials growing up lol

[@erikstombaugh1688]

Im 36 I remember the dragon one. So early 90s.

[@tklube308]

I joined the Corps because of the tv show Black sheep sqdn. Went on to be a 6154, Huey & Cobra hydraulics mech.

[@NadoNado-q9l]

I'd love to see your reaction to the Royal Marines commercials. I remember loving them. I think one ends with 99.9 percent need not apply!

[@kagan.dunlap]

I’ll have to give them a watch

[@firefly4322]

That one with the chess pieces was pretty cool in the early 90’s. I remember it well when I joined. I ran into the guy that climbed the mountain while in Iraq. He was pretty cool.

[@Jrplatt]

1980s with the knight fighting on the chess board was always my favorite when I was a kid

[@CaptainWillard830]

Devils Dogs - love this analysis of old Marine Corps commercials! All of the commercials, believe it or not, were developed as a result of extensive market research. The target market is always American 17-24 year olds. GenXers, like myself, were influenced to consider talking to a Marine Corps recruiter by “Chess,” or “Knight.” For you, and your brother, it was likely the “For us all.” The advertising agencies J. Walter Thompson, and now, Wundermann Thompson, have been partnered with the Marine Corps Recruiting Command/USMC since 1947. Signed, former Assistant Chief of Staff for Advertising, Marine Corps Recruiting Command. The dude you and your bro, met at the MCCS ifuture booth, at MIC2024 ;)

[@TheGoatGrunts]

Best ads in the DOD. only showing recruits suffering, combat operation training, they will 100% get the right people in.

[@noticingpatterns5923]

Bro the best recruiting commercial for the marines would be the battlefield 4 campaign trailer

[@willthornsbury2913]

The Battlechess one I remember well. Battlechess was a very popular game in the 1980(s), so I'm not sure if that is what inspired this. The one with the guy navigating a crypt is clearly inspired by Indiana Jones. I think they're just signs of what was popular during that decade.

[@kagan.dunlap]

Yeah, I think that’s probably really true that they were trying to create commercials that people could relate to of that day and age

[@Jaqenhgar222]

I can't believe you guys are bagging on those fighting monsters and knights with the sword commercials. They were awesome and the reason I joined. I was super disappointed when we never trained with the sabre and didn't learn any sword fighting techniques. Since getting out, I have dedicated myself to the Katana, and I feel I would qualify for an expert badge in the way of the sword.

[@illuminati7767]

U deserve a badge for gayness. Boot.

[@dragontalontsiawd]

The Marine vs. The dragon one got me as a kid back in the 90s. I joined during 9/11 era, in Iraq by 19. I remember the recon Marine poster, the one where he got an oth I believe, 2 of my higher ups served with him and the other recruiter in the office. I have poster still here with him. My recruiter passed, she got promoted just before she retired and died the same year. I talked to her before my first deployment, then i came back tried to find her and nothing for years. Found out after I got out. GySgt Angie Miranda, rest in Jesus name Amen. Keep the fire watch roster going Gunny.

[@kagan.dunlap]

Everyone I know who was in OIF has told me the dragon one got them too

[@dragontalontsiawd]

@@kagan.dunlap yup lol we are alll 34+ now let that sink in... Old broke d#ck sick bay commandos in charge of 1st civ div couch platoon now. All my guys I served with in OIF/OEF timeframe are all from first wave Desert Storm Desert Shield and my generation. My greys are showing from this comment lol

[@KnawedOne]

The chessboard one seemed weird

[@spike3346]

10:13 That's the commercial that got me to join

[@TheDevilDog75]

The lava monster recruiting ad came out in 1998

[@only1life88]

I remember it vividly.

[@kagan.dunlap]

The lava monster, recruiting ad got a lot of people

[@dogloversrule8476]

17:32 in Baby Driver, it’s a Marine vet who tries to stop their bank robbery. He goes after them with just a pistol & his truck & it’s totally believable.

[@GrimReaper.209]

Semper Fidelis.

[@carlm7764]

These are awesome. As an old retired Canadian ground pounder back in the day I think the best way to view these old commercials is to think back as a teen out of high school . That's the target population

[@kagan.dunlap]

Yeah, I think that they did a good job of appealing to the current day and age of whatever was going on during that time

[@MARINE76911]

You nailed it!

[@pauldean8439]

Dragons and knights were eighties into the nineties. The one you watched at the movies was late nineties before they issued NDSM's again.

[@kagan.dunlap]

Yeah, I think you’re right. Cause I definitely remember seeing it in the 1990s.

[@ForTheInfantry]

Generation Kill was the best recruitment ad, change my mind.

[@LeeroyJankens]

I joined around the time the commercial with the marine stopping the robbery

[@terencebelprez8158]

The one at 9:23 had some serious Band of Brothers vibes

[@NaturalStateDepths]

Definitely had to have been inspired by it.

[@Hiking_chef]

I wanna discuss the whole medieval theme. Those commercials are from the mid 80s and early 90s. Dungeons and dragons was spreading like wildfire in the military. Also, in civilian life. It was easy to do. You are always with the same guys with countless hrs of nothing to do. Plus these commercials inspired D&D nerd to get off the couch and be about that life. But I can almost guarantee the public affairs guy responsible was in fact a D&D nerd.

[@MikeyK1501]

I remember all those D&D commercials. It was late 90s early 2000s. I remember because it sent me in a totally different path. I learned the disciplines of Magick instead.

[@markholub97]

For some back story to the dragon/maze etc commercials, Dungeons and Dragons became popular in the late 70s and early 80s. Those commercials were created to appeal to the younger generation who was playing D&D.

[@EarlDennis-l1l]

I remember all of them so far

[@mirandigriffin9879]

Same

[@kagan.dunlap]

There’s definitely some good ones in there

[@ferallion3546]

I like the historical ad centered around the statue and the more serious one with no words. How recruitment is designed during and after war and during peacetime are historical anchor points. Have admit the post war 70’s ad was pretty funny funny. But a car you can’t afford, Meet a girl you wouldn’t introduce to your Mother, Don’t worry, you’ll probably remain stateside stationed in a mild climate lol Regarding other service branch ads that I personally think are great would be two from the Navy during the 90’s. One is looking downward at the ocean and it talks about bring the defenders of the nation’s seas and then you see a carrier battlegroup sail past. The second would be the one with the beach at night and the waves are coming on shore. The second to last wave recedes about see boot prints. The last wave cones up and washes away all traces of anyone ever being there. I do love the Marines emphasis on history and honor. I’d love to the other services follow suite.

[@MARINE76911]

What the Knight has to do with the Marines is fighting many battles in the game of war in the strategy of life. And if you know any history, knights were suppose to have honor and a code of conduct and chivalry, Honor Courage Commitment. As a kid I kind of viewed Marines as knights, warriors. I really don’t understand how either of you didn’t get that. It’s in plain site to me now and plain site then. And this was a very good commercial for its time. Those Marine Corps commercials really take me back. Thank you guys!!!

[@vernondunbar5846]

The chess one and an dragon got me

[@kagan.dunlap]

The dragon one is legendary

[@taniaaguilar2941]

How back then can people take that job seriously very funny encouraging commercials

[@kagan.dunlap]

It’s a serious business, but we can make some good commercials

[@kevinbell3263]

Lava Monster hands down. It was still playing in 99 when I joined.

[@kagan.dunlap]

I figure a bunch of guys that joined right after 911 probably saw that commercial

[@Joann183]

That 1980s ad was fire. They should bring that one back. What I love about the 80s the tv show Highlander was popular. (Definitely recommend). You have sword fights, heroes saving hot chicks and the world, explosions and cool ass haircuts. The 80s are coming back yall!

[@Cam-qf6mx]

Someone was trying to appeal to all the geeks at the time

[@dirksavage1041]

Stewart! 🎉 Let's goooooo!

[@its_me_mark_johnson]

The monster one got me 😂

[@kagan.dunlap]

I’m a fan😂

[@starfire6764]

That Raleigh Ritchie shirt just made your brother a million times cooler!

[@kagan.dunlap]

He’s gonna really appreciate this comment

[@starfire6764]

@ sweet I’ve been a big fan of Raleigh Ritchie and his music’s helped me a lot, any time I see him get love and appreciation somewhere it makes me happy. Also great vid I usually catch your shorts for information or memes but longer content like this is always a good time I look forward to more.

[@matthewtaylor6056]

I loved them all! Mainly because of their efficiency for the time in which they were made. In order, you can see not only the progression of the Marine Corps, but also the world. (At least the progress in some areas of life)

[@kagan.dunlap]

It is interesting to see the differences in progression and the changes over the past few decades

[@RSKLove]

Amazing content!

[@kagan.dunlap]

I appreciate it, friend

[@2800sawyer]

Joe Rogan was right. Even the Marines fight dragons

[@kagan.dunlap]

We got most of our information about dragons from Joe Rogan

[@ed-straker]

My favorite is the Silent Drill Platoon with "Fat Albert" the C-130 flying over.

[@lidlett9883]

What was going on?, you ask. Simple really. The USSR had fallen. America had no visible enemy to be overly concerned with. So the advertising groups had to think up a enemy that was not singling out any actual country or group.

[@romanm7014]

12:24 watching this commercial makes me proud at my 18-year-old self for making that decision I was really just a kid

[@adrianlazalde3171]

12:38 this is the commercial that got me to join, i was in a bad situation in life and i saw this; and i think because i was trying run away from my old life thats probably why i ran straight to the marines because what’s tougher than becoming a Marine.

[@JonDoe-u5u]

That reminds me of Highlander from back in the day

[@kagan.dunlap]

Yeah, there’s definitely a lot of similarities

[@KevinDeChane]

1980's D&D was a big thing. Most of these came out when I was in the Corps

[@ferallion3546]

I’m waiting for future recruitment ads going something like: “Join now and with regenerative medicine you can be 25 again.” “Maybe.” “You get to pilot a Gundam or mecha that transforms into a fighter.” “Sign me up.”

[@nonpartisangunowner4524]

I'd say the older CGI commercials are kind of on par for what was going on, at the time. I think it was a time when all this new graphical and visual arts technology was coming out, and people were really excited to see what could be done with it.

[@TacticalMania-xe1xh]

the knights templar theme tells much, cryptically the good brother Scott Wolter displayed proof about the "new world" was known by the knights centuries long before Columbus.

[@kagan.dunlap]

It it’s definitely more cryptic than a lot of the current videos

[@josesandoval7611]

Reminds me of my days after high school theses would come on early mornings Semper Fi

[@bradleyrobertson3185]

Mid '70s. Never promised you a Rose garden. Lynn Anderson. With PFC Pyle. 82-86. Semper Fi.

[@MaximusMongoose]

Stewart is such a little Brother name 😅 Hope his Platoons doesn't find out 😜😂🤣 STEWART!!!

[@michaelmorris4553]

Fire video

[@kagan.dunlap]

I appreciate that brotha!

[@albertj2459]

I love how they use the same sounding voice in every commercial for over 30 years

[@newjsdavid1]

The one where they all start running just got me so hard.

[@Svensk7119]

The 80s-90s ones were the best! The statue one was okay, though. You guys are remiss!! How dare you? You DIDN'T show the Christmas one!!!

[@jameswells554]

It took a while for the Corps to settle on a solid recruiting slogan post Vietnam until they settled on "The Few, The Proud, The Marines" and they have stuck with it.

[@HortonSalm]

The second to last one, with the guy walking down Blade Runner, Cyberpunk alley, was my commercial, that's the one I always saw before or right around when I joined, and I think it's good for the era. You're trying to get the people that want to be more than just a consumer, something more than just another rat in the high tech rat race. That one and the one with the statue showing all of the different conflicts Marines have fought in are my two favorite ads.

[@kagan.dunlap]

I think a lot of folks that joined right in the later parts of the GWOT saw that one too

[@noneofyourbiz6885]

Can we get a commercial of like two dudes marching and when they get to camp their told to chop wood 😂

[@TexasAF_1]

The second commercial was definitely from the 90s I remember that one no doubt

[@marcusquiles7282]

My former apprentice joined and when he passed basic I asked did you finally learn to think tactically, three steps ahead, he goes no our plan is attack, most marine shit I ever heard

[@yov838]

React to the army ones

[@curtisosborn8289]

I remember the one where this guy stopped in the middle of the desert in a late sixties or early seventies hot rod and a fighter jet did a low fly over him. And then they said if you like to go fast consider the military. I don't remember the branch..

[@davidkintzer1604]

They got real good after they dropped all the CGI and just put real footage together. But the history nerd in me says the best is still the statue one.

[@magoodada]

Im the guy who killed the dragon yo!!!!!! They call me Jim Morrison bc im the lizzard king son!

[@VikingZeroReviews]

I remember the dragon one as a kid but I don’t recall seeing all the knights or Indiana jones stuff hahaha

[@KnawedOne]

The rock climbing ad was good

[@tylerredforge5563]

we need more dark fantasy marine ads

[@jackeyxm8401]

My favorite one was the rifle drill across America

[@kllbll85]

Dragon was 80"s! Got me!!

[@GamingBot90]

This is great 😂

[@kagan.dunlap]

I appreciate you man!

[@kimchianddynamite655]

I saw the one with the drones and the f35 and I said that would be cool now I’m 15 and training to join

[@rjust2297]

So here's the joke part about that first one with the chess game thing. Logistic Arena Recon Platoon 🤔 LOL. Thanks for doing it 🤠 blaaàaa 🎯

[@RazzN513-ip6xe]

70s ad was the best. It would of got me.

[@kagan.dunlap]

Honestly, I like the 70s ad too

[@ScotteM]

Going hard after the video game crowd, obviously

[@kagan.dunlap]

Yeah, I guess I’m part of that crowd

[@ScotteM]

@@kagan.dunlap my brother started with an Atari (still gaming) and signed up for the Corp in 2000. Pretty sure he's a E4 mafia (retired). But I know for a fact he was their target demo.

[@joser.palermo519]

The Marines were supposed to be so bad ass in the 80's and early 90's that only mythical creatures were brave enough to face them!

[@dogloversrule8476]

11:44 if you haven’t already, you should watch a video called What the 2021 US Army Commercial Should Have Been. Here’s the link for it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5fRoKymi9J6iJIsi=D_Pk_ZCQJsTild_O

[@williammccusker8408]

Love the first one!

[@jorgecalero6325]

Ummm that second ad portrays a "live" game of chess, obviously. It mixes the powerful battle visuals with the cerebral side of the game. It tells you that the Marines want brawn AND brains, even if they don't always get what they want. Okay, that whole series of ads is too abstract and pretentious. I bet it missed the mark entirely.

[@kagan.dunlap]

That’s a fair way to interpret it

[@strawonwalls2534]

This shit had me giggling like a little kid🤣

[@whodoneit218]

"When was the last time they made a movie about your job?"

[@benphillips9229]

One of my friends played the music for the last one

[@kagan.dunlap]

That’s awesome!

[@FirstLast-ng7km]

Albert Einstein said that he didn't know what weapons will be used in WW3, but WW4 will be fought with sticks and stones. Though "we will reforge steel from destroyed tanks" seems to be the message during the cold war era commercials.

[@craftpaint1644]

That first one makes it look like Mercury Program Astronaut recruitment. 🇺🇸❤️🇷🇺

[@MARINE76911]

The “80s” ones were actually 90s commercials.

[@erikstombaugh1688]

Why'd you join the Marines, "the dragons and the swords."

[@MacPNW]

100% joined to slay the lava monster It's not a dragon

[@THF117]

They should let marines take sword lessons if they really want to

[@kagan.dunlap]

We actually do teach sword lessons

[@thebunz7]

These commercials were awesome as a child. I watched them thinking that’s what Marines really did. They worked enough that I eventually joined because I have no clue what they were advertising while I was in high school.

[@stormymiddleton7315]

You can really tell when starwars and chess were taking off lmfao

[@stormymiddleton7315]

Really what action movies were taking off everywhere. These all look like movie openings from whatever was popular

[@kuro3052]

20:20 nah dude, space marines

[@MARINE76911]

The commercials With Knights and dragon were in the LATE 80s EARLY 90s. How do you guys not Know history? You can tell by looking at the commercials.

[@NaturalStateDepths]

Early Marines had to be D&D nerds.

[@d00mr0gue4]

Dragon ad got me wanting a green card immediately!

[@IssacAintPlayin]

Essences of the Dragon 🐉 😂