Military advertising: analysis of the essence, content, and features of social advertising of contract service in the RF Armed Forces after the beginning of Special Military Operation

The article discusses the issues of advertising contract service in the Russian Armed Forces, analyzes its essence, scope, purpose, and features, taking into account the ongoing Special Mili-tary Operation in the Ukraine. Specific examples are used to highlight the focus the advertising context: psychological, patriotic, and material using special images, headlines, and slogans. The article distinguishes the advertising campaign based on historical figures, messages, and parallels, including the Great Patriotic War experience. The effectiveness of the advertising communication of military contract service is studied separately; its various types, including TV advertising, ra-dio advertising, print media advertising, online advertising, propaganda posters and leaflets, are assessed. The rating of advertising communications showed that advertising based on material in-centives to influence a person is much more effective than ‘slogan’ propaganda. The material is based on the author’s study carried out among the heads of recruitment points for military con-tract service, as well as organizers and participants of the advertising campaign in 46 regions of all eight federal districts of the country. The issue may be of interest to active participants in advertising communications and advertising campaign organizers as it will allow them to focus their primary resources on the most effective communication types and channels.