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How a Native Content Campaign Helped the Danish Armed Forces Surpass Officer Recruitment Goals

Goals and objectives

The campaign had three core objectives:

  • Position officer training programs as attractive and meaningful educational opportunities that develop strong leadership competencies.
  • Highlight the programs as prestigious and qualifying pathways for leadership development.
  • Promote the Danish Armed Forces as a unique and impactful workplace that plays a vital role in safeguarding societal values, freedom, and security.

In 2023, applications to the Danish Armed Forces’ officer training programs experienced a notable decline. This drop was attributed to several external factors, including a general market slowdown, evolving responsibilities within the military due to the war in Ukraine, and media coverage of internal challenges such as staff retention. In response, the “Bliv Officer!” native content campaign was launched as part of a broader recruitment initiative aimed at reversing this trend and securing a sustainable pipeline of future officers.

The overarching goal was to raise both general and qualified awareness of the officer training programs and generate interest among the target audience. The campaign sought to position officer education as a compelling choice for those seeking meaningful careers in leadership and public service.

KPI's

The campaign set out to achieve the following key performance indicators (KPIs):

  • Create relevant content that resonates with the target audience.
  • Build qualified awareness of the two officer training programs.
  • Earn meaningful time and engagement from potential applicants.
  • Contribute to the broader goal of increasing applications to 1,000 in 2024.
  • Generate 30,000 page views across the article series.
  • Achieve an average reading time of 30–60 seconds per article.

The campaign exceeded expectations across all KPIs:

  • Total page views: 72,630 (more than double the target).
  • Average reading time: Over 1 minute per article (exceeding the 30–60 second goal).
  • Total time spent on articles: 79,830 minutes.

A post-campaign analysis conducted by EssenceMediacom confirmed that the content strongly resonated with the intended audience, with overwhelmingly positive feedback. Ultimately, the campaign contributed to 1,052 applications—surpassing the original goal of 1,000 applicants for the officer training programs.

Target audience

Geography: Denmark

Demographics: The campaign targeted individuals who were both eligible and interested in officer training. It focused on two primary educational tracks:

Lieutenant Track:

  • Average age: 22
  • Education: Primarily high school graduates
  • Employment: Mostly recent graduates, some already employed
  • Geographic reach: Nationwide

First Lieutenant Track:

  • Average age: 27
  • Education:
    • 29% with a professional bachelor’s degree
    • 35% with a bachelor’s degree
    • 29% with a master’s or Ph.D. level degree
  • Employment: Already working professionals
  • Geographic reach: Nationwide

Strategy

The “Bliv Officer!” native campaign was a strategic component of the larger “Leder du?” initiative, which aimed to increase applications to officer training programs. Central to the strategy was the need to reshape public perceptions of the officer role. Traditional stereotypes surrounding military careers often discouraged potential applicants, so the campaign focused on presenting a more relatable and humanized view of the profession.

This was accomplished through high-quality, in-depth storytelling delivered via trusted media platforms. The campaign used journalistic formats to share authentic narratives that balanced seriousness with accessibility. The strategic objectives were to:

  • Position officer training as a valuable educational path that develops leadership skills.
  • Reframe officer education as a highly qualified leadership program with broad career potential.
  • Promote the Armed Forces as a purpose-driven organization that plays a critical role in society.

Media placements were carefully selected to ensure relevance and reach. The campaign’s article series was published across Eurowoman, Euroman, and Berlingske, featuring interviews with officers and cadets from diverse backgrounds. These profiles provided relatable role models and included tactical messaging—such as application details and calls to action—seamlessly integrated into the content. The content strategy prioritized depth of engagement over reach, using metrics like time spent and sentiment as key indicators of success.

Creative idea

The campaign’s creative approach centered on a series of native articles that offered nuanced, in-depth portraits of individuals in officer training or active service. The goal was to present a diverse and authentic view of life in the Armed Forces.

In the first burst of content, the focus was on personal stories to help the audience emotionally connect with the featured individuals. The second burst shifted to more informative content, providing insights into the structure and demands of the training programs. Throughout both phases, leadership development remained a central theme.

The creative strategy emphasized native integration with the media platforms. The articles were designed to align with the editorial tone and format of the host publications, making the content feel trustworthy, seamless, and relevant. The use of case interviews and real-life stories matched the typical content style of the selected media, enhancing authenticity and engagement.

ARTICLE CONTENT:

Channels

The campaign was distributed through a mix of premium editorial and social media channels, including:

  • Euroman
  • Eurowoman
  • Berlingske
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Learnings

The campaign demonstrated that the interview format was highly effective in engaging the audience. Authentic, behind-the-scenes glimpses into the lives of Armed Forces personnel resonated strongly, even when the featured individuals were not public figures. The content offered a rare and compelling look into a world that many people are curious about but seldom see.

Another key takeaway was the importance of striking the right tone of voice. Working with an institution like the Danish Armed Forces required a careful balance between formality and relatability. This balance was essential to communicate effectively and maintain credibility while still appealing to a broad audience.

Overall, the content sparked interest not only among potential applicants but also among people both inside and outside the profession. The campaign encouraged reflection and conversation about what it means to be an officer and the broader role of the Armed Forces in society.

Surprising Insights

The campaign revealed that strong engagement does not depend on celebrity or high-profile individuals. Instead, authenticity and relevance proved to be the most powerful drivers of interest. Audiences responded positively to real stories told with honesty and respect, reinforcing the value of native content and human-centered storytelling in recruitment marketing.