Why Target the Military Market?

The military market is a large, isolated, family-oriented community with disposable income.

• Reach a 7.3 million member community with $92 billion in pay and allowances.
• Target the young adults and families that make up the military market.
• Many young service men and women are making first time brand choices and building brand loyalties.
• Military personnel racked up $9.1 billion in net sales at exchanges and commissaries in 2000.
• Half of domestic personnel have shopped at off-base grocery stores and discount department stores 7-10 times in the last 90 days.

Sources: AAFES and NEXCOM 2000 Annual Reports, Armed Forces Communications Military Readership Survey 2000

Myth #1: Military personnel have no free time.

The Truth:

• Many service men and women's daily lives are like civilian's. The regular "on-duty" day is estimated at nine hours.
• Nearly half of all spouses don't work outside of the home leaving them with free time to participate in "civilian" activities.
• Personnel participate in a number of on- and off-base recreational activities including shopping and entertainment.

Myth #2: Military personnel receive low pay.

The Truth:

• Average enlisted annual pay and allowances equal $33,927. Median income for all U.S. citizens with a high school diploma is $24,267.
• Average officer annual pay and allowances equal $87,194. Median income for all U.S. citizens with a bachelor's degree is $40,314.

Sources: Military Monthly Basic Pay Table January 1, 2002, DoD 2000 Demographics Profile of the Military Community, Washington Headquarter Services. Monthly Report of Federal Civilian Employment, U.S Coast Guard Fact File, U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey March 2001
Note: Pay based on average pay per grade and also includes average BAH and BAS allowances.

Myth #3: The military market is comprised only of men.

The Truth:

• By targeting active duty personnel and their families, you will reach more than 1.1 million women.
• There are more than 200,000 women in active duty.
• Active duty personnel are married to 650,000 female spouses.
• 250,000 of the dependent children of active duty personnel are female.

Source: DoD 2000 Demographics Profile of the Military Community

Military personnel and their families consume a wide variety of media.

• 86 percent of domestic military personnel have read three of the last four issues of their base newspaper.
• More than 50 percent of personnel listen to one or more hours of radio per day. Most listening occurs while driving.
• Nearly all domestic personnel have a TV in their household.
• 30 percent of domestic personnel watch 4-6 hours of TV per day and 76 percent subscribe to cable television.
• 65 percent of personnel read at least some billboard advertising.
• Military personnel are active Internet users. Nearly half report spend 1-2 hours on-line each day at home.

Source: Armed Forces Communications Military Readership Survey 2000
Note: Above based on survey respondents.