MOD plc - Marketing Ideas Needed

[Hootch]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...e_id=359170&in_page_id=1770&in_a_source=&ct=5

I think this stinks. I am hearing increasingly that bean counters in the MOD are charging 'paying customers' for the use of MOD facilities. Hearing the phrase 'business case' too much.

Bad enough that training areas can not be used because civies have booked them but I am uncomfortable with the principle that public organisations, funded by the taxpayer, are in direct competion with companies in the private sector.

What next - punters to pay a fee to attend courts martials ? Pay a bit extra and we'll happily find the poor sod quilty?

Perhaps we could modify some Challies for 'Gold Pass' holders and they could spend a weekend in Basrah - for a bit extra even get to slot one of the locals ( paying customers being exempt from War Crimes charges).

Any other ideas?

 

[Auld-Yin]

Why don't we use our soldiers as firemen to give the Trumpton lot some more time off?

They could also fill in a binmen to help keep the streets clean.

The government says there is no overstretch so there must be lots of soldiers hanging around doing nothing while being paid by the taxpayer.

And did I not read recently on ARRSE that RMP are to patrol street in certain towns?

 

[smoojalooge]

£2000 to meet her how much for a shag just to say you've been there.

The MOD are already whoring the forces out so why not the queen as well

 

[frenchperson]

Why don't we use our soldiers as firemen to give the Trumpton lot some more time off?

They could also fill in a binmen to help keep the streets clean.

The government says there is no overstretch so there must be lots of soldiers hanging around doing nothing while being paid by the taxpayer.

And did I not read recently on ARRSE that RMP are to patrol street in certain towns?

How about bailing out US companies who indulge in union-busting tactics - by donning aprons and serving up slop to British Airways' passengers?

 

[SpeckledJim]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=359170&in_page_id=1770&in_a_source=&ct=5


I hate all this f*cking "business" jargon that’s creeping in. I was at an IPT meeting the other week and two things struck me, firstly I had no idea what point these guys were trying to put over, and secondly, that the meeting could have been completed in a third of the time, if they just use plain "squaddie" English e.g. "the ISD is delayed because its a sh*te project". Rant over, back onto original theme......the rot is setting in, my Mess is used more for private functions than anything else. Nearly every weekend the livings-in are banished from eating in the Dinning Room for some spurious function, organised through some tenuous link to the Military.

Perhaps in the not-so-distance future, we'll all be sponsored by some civvy firm. I can just see our AMS vehicles covered with, sponsored by "BUPA" logo's, there's also stacks of space on our uniforms for sponsorship logo's..........................

 

[Hootch]

my Mess is used more for private functions than anything else. Nearly every weekend the livings-in are banished from eating in the Dinning Room for some spurious function, organised through some tenuous link to the Military. [/unquote]

This must be very questionable from a legal perspective, as the Mess is effectively competing against the private sector, using taxpayers money, that was surely budgetted to pay for the benefit of the Mess Members?

If your rights a Mess Member are in any way impaired, then the PMC and the other Members of the Mess Committee are in breach of your conditions of service. Same for the NAAFI. You have every right to complain and seek clarification on the matter.

If your Mess is run by Sodhexo, it further complicates the matter - why should a subsidised private company with a monopoly make additional profit against their direct commercial competitors, assisted by taxpayers and HM service personnel?

It is entirely unfair for MOD facilties, that have a natural cost base advantage ( i.e the taxpayer funds; staff costs, utilities, cleaning etc) to go into the market and compete against commercial organisations. Would be interesting to see what Trading Standards think of such practices.

If I was your PMC, I would be seeking clarification of the legal position. All it takes is one compliant from a local business to produce a PR nightmare and a tricky legal position for the MOD.

Can't see the local Chamber of Commerce supporting the PMC against local business, or local MPs etc

It won't be the MOD carrying the can either, the PMC and the Mess Committee will get it in the neck.

 

[frenchperson]

If marketing ideas are needed for the MOD, look no further than the US model. The CEO of Halliburton is often seen to revisit his childhood by opening a large box of toy soldiers he has in his possession - they're very often used to further his company's corporate aims - and they're called the US Marines.

 

[PartTimePongo]

Stoatman

Your reply deleted , it's not the Naafi Bar.

PTP

 

[ICATQ]

The MOD sell spare places on training courses to overseas military - thats everything from Sandhurst to NBC courses -

 

[QRK2]

The MOD sell spare places on training courses to overseas military - thats everything from Sandhurst to NBC courses -

They certainly do:

http://www.britisharmytraining.mod.uk/trainwiththebest/Index1.htm

or for the lovies:

http://www.filmlocations.mod.uk/filming/

 

[boney_m]

The MOD sell spare places on training courses to overseas military - thats everything from Sandhurst to NBC courses -

They certainly do:

http://www.britisharmytraining.mod.uk/trainwiththebest/Index1.htm

or for the lovies:

http://www.filmlocations.mod.uk/filming/

Its ironic i suppose that the link for CIS courses from that page ends in a 404 error. That'll impress any potential students for an IS course.

I was told recently that we cant lend tentage to the local community anymore, they have to pay a rental charge.

Boney

 

[clanky]

Income Generation has been a fact of life for a while now. There is no training activity or resource that it not available for the right amount of dosh. The only limiting factor seems to be profitability. Private functions are a regular event in my mess, with the attendant disruptions for the lifes of nonweekending vittlies.

 

[Cuddles]

Perhaps the MOD isn't as backwards in marketing as we fear...they seem to have mastered the BOGOF (Buy-one, Get-one-free)...for example buy a war in Afghanistan, get one in Iraq free?


Hmmm...a bit contrived, I'll get my coat..taxi for Cuddles

 

[Goatman]

Stoatman

Your reply deleted , it's not the Naafi Bar.

PTP

Was it something along the the lines of:

" i Know you are a Man of Kent frenchperson but don't be more Kentish than you have to be......"

 

[Goatman]

The MOD sell spare places on training courses to overseas military - thats everything from Sandhurst to NBC courses -

So what ? We've been doing it since David Niven's time at RMAS. Tanks to the Shah ( the Yanks sold him F-14's and Chinooks) , ships to the Argentinians, Hawks to Indonesia.

Nothing new about charging overseas armies,navies and air forces for UK training. Used to be a VERY attractive part of any sales package involving British kit...'cos Johnny Foreigner has a touchingly high regard for British training standards....

The French on the other hand rely on urbanely supplying the decision makers with whatever they feel in need of...whether that be brown envelopes, ladies of negotiable affection, small boys,Peruvian marching powder or any combination of these in any order.

The Cousins subsidise their overseas sales with a thing called FMS credits. The Russians used to give kit away (but started charging in the 90's) , the Chinese will sell anything to anyone, as will Israel.


A moral arms policy is like being "slightly dead" or " a little bit pregnant ".....bit of a contradiction in terms really....

Le Chevre

 

[Pteranadon]

I think the army under uses its brand assets..

See all those computer games out there? All the books on all sorts of warry stuff...

Its time to register army brands.... Coillect a royalty everytime someone makes money out of Army images or logos. You can't just use the Arsenal Gunner logo -why should you be able to use the RA one?

Take a leaf out of the sporting world. Make some money out fo the fans. All these multi player PC games clans calling themselves the X para, Blacxk watch etc. ... Let em pay to be official fans.

 

[Agent_Smith]

Now i see that the 'MET' and 'Scotland Yard' Have been registered as tradmarks so that the police can 'market a range of products using our world wide brand recogition'

whatever next?

 

[PartTimePongo]

The Army have "co-branded" note co-branded NOT "endorsed" a compter game in the past.

 

[CardinalSin]

Its ironic i suppose that the link for CIS courses from that page ends in a 404 error. That'll impress any potential students for an IS course.

And I suppose that an IS professional like yourself would simply replace the dead link with a) filth or b) picture of nice fluffy bunnies.