Enlistment messaging has shifted from patriotic duties to personal growth
As governments invest billions in rebuilding Europe’s military capabilities, they are discovering that modernising arsenals is only one part of the challenge. The other is finding the people needed to operate them.
Germany wants to grow its armed forces from around 180,000 soldiers to 260,000 while doubling its reserve force. France plans to expand its reservists from roughly 47,000 to 100,000 by the end of the decade. Italy has announced plans to increase its military personnel, while the Netherlands and Poland are also looking at ways to expand their forces.
Recruitment has therefore become a communications battle, increasingly fought on TV, billboards, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
Defence
