Social media apps like TikTok are trying to persuade young people to enlist in the military. As social media progressively influences our everyday lives, the U.S. Army is utilizing these apps to increase recruitment efforts, phasing out its renowned oil-painted posters for TikTok trends.
According to Search Logistics, TikTok, originally branded Musical.ly until 2018, has reached approximately 130 million Americans. With this substantial potential audience, many companies and organizations, including the U.S. Army, have flocked to the app to gain consumer interest.
A TikTok published to the app on May 3, 2024, by a user named @phoenix.mw, glamorizes the U.S. Military. A mashup of clips is cleverly edited to show active soldiers and various military equipment, like tanks, fighter jets, and submarines, which flash to the song “Take Me Out” by Franz Ferdinand. As of April, the video has amassed 14.5 million views and almost 2 million likes. This video has received an overwhelmingly positive reception, with reactions under the TikTok expressing interest in enlisting in the army. A reaction video to the viral army clip has amassed over a million likes by user @ryeroast under this sound, which shows the creator in a military uniform with the caption “the propaganda worked.”
Many people have used the sound bite while recording themselves serving in the army or enlisting. The tone of the short clip is seemingly upbeat and depicts enrolling as thrilling and adventurous. According to Google Trends data, there was a small spike in searches for the term “United States Army” in the days following the video’s release.
The origins of propaganda in the U.S. Military are that it was initially used to rally national support for the war and increase soldier recruitment. The most iconic example is the symbol of Uncle Sam. The image of Uncle Sam has been used to personify America since the 19th century. The depiction has been featured in many military recruitment efforts, most famously the “I Want You for U.S. Army” poster.
The most recognizable version of the character was illustrated by James Montgomery Flagg in 1917 as a call of duty to the nation to enlist in the armed forces. The image was used in recruitment posters during WWI and WWII. The historic poster of Uncle Sam pointing directly at the viewer and a bold caption stating “I want you” was also used as a rallying cry for other national efforts such as volunteer services, medical recruitment, and emergency services.
Today, Uncle Sam stands as a nostalgic relic from a bygone era. Recently, he was used in Kendrick Lamar’s viral halftime show for Super Bowl LIX. In this iteration, the character was portrayed by renowned actor Samuel Jackson. This is most likely a nod to his character in “Django Unchained,” where he plays Stephen, an enslaved Black man who believes white people are superior. He is used to represent America trying to suppress Black voices. That commentary seems relevant to this TikTok promotion.
To properly understand how this video affects others, I asked several teens interested in joining the military for their thoughts. Although this video has gone viral, when asked, many people haven’t seen it. Nevertheless, several believed it was an example of propaganda.
Deven, a student at Stockbridge High School, said the video was “Absolutely!” propaganda. He added, “I feel more inclined to join the military after watching the video.” But when asked how his peers might feel about TikTok, he said, “They may have negative thoughts towards it, but it doesn’t influence my opinion.”
Zariyah Rush, a sophomore also from Stockbridge High School, said, “No, the video just shows off different fights from what one could presume is the U.S., which may intrigue people, but it isn’t outright said ‘join the military today!’”
Kizziah Bethelmie, a freshman at Stockbridge, said, “This video doesn’t make me feel anything in particular, but I guess it gives me a brief overview of what the military does for its country and what goes on.”
Some teens who were interested in joining the army had various reasons. Bethelmie stated, “Both my sister and dad were the ones who inspired me to join the military.” Deven commented, “I want to join the military for the benefits and as a start to my chosen career.”
Military propaganda has evolved over the years, taking many forms, and will persist. However, Rush is still opposed to joining the service, even after watching the video.
She explained, “I’m not willing to fight or risk my life for this country until equality is expressed to all.”
