Add the brand’s strong core values, its promises of secure employment, educational benefits, and professional opportunities, and you’d think hard-to-employ youth would be signing up in droves. They’re not.

Log on to the recruiting site from the USMC home page. A bulls-eye appears with a high hum like a warning beacon. In rapid-fire succession a series of USMC images fly in from behind, resolve, break up, fly back out, resolve, break up, and finally resolve again into three black-and-white pictures of heroic men, all accompanied by staccato fire and drum beats. It puts you right into the action, like a hot interactive game. The sequence lands on a home page with a frieze of black-and-white photos of impressive military men in action and on parade.

The Marines believes it knows its audience: young, idealistic kids conditioned to high-stim environments and the thrill of combat from years of playing violent computer games. Strongly identified with the heroes of their imagination, they’ll love this stuff. Besides, they’re bored, and they don’t want to spend the rest of their lives clerking at PetCo. They want a life of adventure. They want to be a member of an exclusive band of men and women dedicated to a worthy cause. The site promises all of this, and more.

In true customer-centric style, the first interaction is an “I am a …” pop-up menu. I am a high school graduate (the younger and less experienced the better, right?). The instant I say so, a photo of a burly black man in the act of throwing a punch goes to brilliant color, briefly flashing “those who are warriors”—a nice, subliminal touch—before dropping me into “The Cutting Edge,” with a close-up of a white-gloved cadet on parade. The image frieze has changed to a jungle scene, out of which a soldier aims right at me with taut eyes. Romantic stuff.

The messaging goes straight to the secret heart of a young gamer, with all the right power words: challenge, destiny, courage, self-mastery, steadfast, warrior, greatness. “Joining the United States Marine Corps will place you alongside more than 40,000 young men and women who will take control of their futures this year. Like them, you are probably seeking a challenge and the opportunity to … travel a path toward your destiny.” That covers the need to belong to an exclusive band of superior people. The last sentence, “And in this organization, you will be regarded as family,” reinforces that need to belong. This is beautiful copywriting. Right on brand, right away, with the key messages young civilians want to hear. How inspiring! How transparent!

The left menu lists “Becoming a Marine,” “Recruit Training,” “In Our Own Words,” “Professional Opportunities,” “Benefits,” and “Frequently Asked Questions.” Let’s click on Recruit Training and find out what we’re in for.

Nice picture of a snarling sergeant on that page—just like in the movies! Can’t you see yourself in the starring role? Speaking of movies, there are lots of cool videos. Let’s look at the video clip of kids rappelling down a high tower. They’re so exhilarated when they actually DO this—“Oh, gosh,” a pretty, pink-cheeked blond girl says, “my heart was pounding!” Good-looking, sturdy boys of different races say, “A big adrenaline rush.” “This is awesome!” “Ready to do it again.” Gosh. Awesome.

ABOVE: Like any good customer-centric site, the U.S. Marines site begins by asking who you are, then tailors the content to your needs.