# Rescue-Based Recruitment Ads The Swedish Armed Forces 'Who Cares?' Campaign Makes a Statement By Courtney Scharf | Published 2012-05-10 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/swedish-armed-forces References: [adverblog](http://www.adverblog.com/2012/05/09/swedish-armed-forces-who-cares/) In an intensive and media-saturated campaign, the [Swedish Armed Forces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/be-selfish-activation) has approached recruiting in a provocative new way. Seeking to make a statement about the population's [lack of social interaction](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hijack-socialization), the 'Who Cares?' campaign featured and streamed a video of a man who was isolated to a room in central Stockholm. Though viewers of the site could see the man, people could not help him with a virtual Like, a Tweet, nor a Share. In order to help the man, viewers would have to personally show up to the location and elect to take his place. The results of the media-heavy publicity stunt were surprisingly encouraging; 74 people from around Sweden volunteered to sacrifice their own comfort for their fellow citizens. The controversial campaign not only had a happy ending, but showed that despite an increasingly disconnected social landscape, individuals are still willing to do what it takes to make a difference. Carefully crafted and in tune with concerns of ever-changing communication among people, the Swedish Armed Forces have done an exceptional job with this recruitment campaign. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.1/10 - Popularity: 16% | Activity: 40% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Publicity Stunts](https://www.trendhunter.com/publicitystunts) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Interactive Recruitment Campaigns:** Organizations can develop provocative and media-saturated campaigns, like the 'Who Cares?' campaign, to showcase their unique values and increase brand visibility. - **Social-conscious Advertising:** The 'Who Cares?' campaign highlights the prevalence of social disconnection and provides organizations with an opportunity to align their values with solutions to social issues. - **Engaging Virtual Viewers:** The 'Who Cares?' campaign capitalized on the prevalence of virtual viewers by providing an intriguing challenge that only physical participation could solve, providing new opportunities for virtual-to-physical interaction. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Marketing and Advertising:** The 'Who Cares?' campaign showcases the potential for innovative and socially conscious advertising campaigns that connect with people's values. - **Recruiting and Staffing:** Organizations can create interactive recruitment campaigns to showcase their culture, values, and align candidates with their mission. - **Social and Community Services:** Organizations in this industry can use interactive campaigns to promote their cause, increase public engagement, and provide opportunities for social connection and interaction. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Heartfelt Adoption Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/homecentre-thehomecoming.md) - [Purposeful Consumer-Focused Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ikea-sleepfluencers-campaign.md) - [Social Connection Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/is-this-seat-taken-campaign.md) - [Work-Ditching Video Game Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ghost-your-boss.md) - [Interactive Recruitment Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/recruitment-billboards.md) - [Mental Health Awareness Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/itv.md) - [Community Behavioral Health Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/comprehensive-healthcare.md) - [Domestic Awareness Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/this-is-not-a-home.md) - [Carrier Pigeon Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/project-pigeon.md)