merit
Military members (and men in general) have been conditioned to suppress their emotions and trained to put on a strong exterior, often at their own expense.
Philanthropic communications are often familiar and predictable – treating meaningful initiatives like sympathy grabs or view their subjects as victims. But every veteran we spoke with didn’t see themselves that way. They felt like perpetual works-in-progress who were shaped by their unique experiences. Any video we created that didn’t honor these truths would fall flat with the veteran community.
To tell the story of a single veteran that laddered up to a larger truth, we enlisted the help of retired Major Brian Chontosh (“Tosh”). Through many discussions with him, we heard that he had grown in a very unexpected way in an effort to continue his service and help others. For Tosh, that meant leading with vulnerability so that he can connect with fellow veterans and help them heal.
The video we created, shared by Dwanye Johnson and Under Armour on social, was a true reflection of Tosh and was relatable to many other veterans, too. They were keeping things in. They were seen as heroes despite not feeling like ones. And ultimately – as shown through authentic moments of connection captured at a Travis Manion Foundation leadership summit – they learned that asking for help isn’t a weakness. It’s the first step on the journey to become stronger.
Results:
7.7m social views
166k social interactions
+50% Web Traffic Increase
“I'm so tired of "macho" continuing to hurt our community and after being a part of this message I'm encouraged to double down on my efforts to serve.”
– Marine Corps Major Brian Chontosh
