Air Force Reserve Recruiting Service shoots public service announcement at March Field

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U.S. Air Force photo/Linda Welz

A production team from Blaine Warren Advertising (BWA) spent Wednesday morning, October 28, in a hangar at March Air Reserve Base shooting scenes for the Air Force Reserve Command Recruiting Service’s 2016 public service announcement. The BWA agency works with Reserve Recruiting advertising to meet the needs of the command.

“Air Force Reserve Command’s PSA program provides the ability to reach millions of viewers across the nation in its target demographic, and is a critical element to the branding and awareness of the Air Force Reserve to the American public,” said Chief Master Sgt. Darin Thomas, chief of advertising, AFRC.

It takes a lot of cooperation to make the program a success, said Dean Harris, executive producer, BWA.

Team March members from the security forces, maintenance group and public affairs pulled together to clear the production team personnel and their vehicles full of equipment to come on base and then provided a location and C-17 for the shoot, all without disrupting the mission.

“Had it not been for the outstanding professionals at March, things would not have gone so smoothly,” Thomas said.

The challenge is to tell the story differently each year, he added.

“At the end of spring we gather ideas for the next PSA, then, we present the PSA, over the summer, to the leadership for approval,” Harris said. “In the fall we go into production, and in January, the PSA is distributed.”

“We have the same target demographics and the same story, so coming up with a compelling storyline that connects well with our audience is a challenge,” Thomas said.

The 2016 PSA was created to highlight new technology, such as the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program opportunities, and the high technological areas in which the Reserve is involved.

“We were fortunate enough to team up with Leland Melvin, astronaut and former co-chair on the White House’s STEM Education Task Force,” Thomas said. “He adds credibility to the message we are trying to get across.”

Harris said BWA has worked with Team March in the past and commends team members on their integrity, excellent work ethics and professionalism.

“We filmed Rob Dyrdek’s ‘Fantasy Factory’ here, produced the Kid Rock Tour for the Troops here, and shot the 2015 AFRC Recruiting Service’s PSA here,” Harris said. “It has always been a fantastic experience to work with the folks here at March.”