CIA Recruiting Commercials?

Until about a week and a half ago, I had never seen a commercial for the CIA. Now I see them 2 or 3 times a day, and it doesn't matter what channel I'm watching. It seems like a blanket campaign.

Anybody else see them? I'm in the Chicago market, but I sincerely doubt they're only broadcasting them here.

Are things so bad that they have to resort to recruiting tactics that the Army doesn't even use that much anymore? I still see Army commercials, but not as frequently as this.

What's the deal?

I found the clip below on YouTube, but it's not the one I've been seeing. The one I've seen on TV is much more serious, and seems to be looking for agents.

YouTube

Wow, that's interesting - that youtube ad sure is goofy though! I've never seen an ad for the CIA down in my area (Miami market) yet. All I see is Army Reserve ads a couple times a day, and maybe an Air Force ad every couple of days. Kinda weird they're using ads - I thought every kid wanted to work as either a fighter pilot or a CIA agent when they grew up. There has been talk for awhile about the mass exodus of senior agents from the CIA towards the private sector because it is far more lucrative. Dunno what to say.

I've seen that commercial on before, but only a few times,
and oddly enough both times on the asian-american channel AZN.
Oh, I live in ten minutes north of Seattle, so I figure it would
be the Seattle area.

Kind of funny you saw this one AZN...

I've seen it on local Fox, Comedy Central, Sci-Fi and ESPN.

I've never heard of the CIA having TV commercials. Did you hear the guys voice when he says "CARE TO JOIN THEM?"
it sounds very weird... almost evil

I'm glad i don't watch hardly any TV.

You know something to, in that commercial, are they admitting they
have spying technology that looks like a bug and other small creatures,
or were they just trying to get the attention of the techheads with it?

I think the insects and fish in the commercial are implying stealth. I doubt a microphone inside a mechanical fish would be very useful. It's probably trying to get people interested in the clandestine service of the CIA. After university I looked into CIA career opportunities myself but didn't get very far because my foreign language skills are not all that good (4 years of Latin and ancient Greek, and I'm sure the Romans and Spartans pose little threat these days, hehe.)

What I can't get over is how goofy that advertisement is, also check out the CIA careers page and tell me much of it isn't equally sophomoric - "Take a CIA personality quiz"?! come on, try it - it's friggen retarded.

www.cia.gov...

A thread was on their animal and insect surveilance inventions here on ATS about a year or so ago. It showed the fish that actually swims and such. I suspect it is for clandestine services, as they would be the ones "deploying" those gadgets.

If any one is interested, I've got a few numbers at the CIA. But it has been ahile since I've called, how ever a member not so long ago got them from me, as they were interested in joining.

Havn't heard from them since, must have made it past their probationary time.

I remember seeing these ads in Los Angeles, it must have been a nationwide campaign. I wonder if the purpose of this recruiting drive was for some type of domestic spying arm. Now that we have bills like the 'Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007' they'll need some moles to enforce these measures. How many college kids do you think took this offer up?

if theyre seeking to recruit from the general public like this it would suggest they arnt in search of highly skilled operatives,maybe computer operatives,low level technicians,manual labourers etc.

looks like the cia are gearing up to make a move,all hail darth cheney and emperor bush!!!

is there any feasible situation in which the cia would be allowed to take control?,maybe a faked alien invasion!?.

Well CIA prob would never take over

But...

what if there were another terrorist attack and department of homeland security stepped in somehow? Isn't that CIA and FBI?

Originally posted by AlphaHumana
Wow, that's interesting - that youtube ad sure is goofy though! I've never seen an ad for the CIA down in my area (Miami market) yet. All I see is Army Reserve ads a couple times a day, and maybe an Air Force ad every couple of days. Kinda weird they're using ads - I thought every kid wanted to work as either a fighter pilot or a CIA agent when they grew up. There has been talk for awhile about the mass exodus of senior agents from the CIA towards the private sector because it is far more lucrative. Dunno what to say.

The CIA doesn't really pay that well unless you get into management or go overseas to some craphole to get danger pay, arduous duty pay, etc. Which is probably one reason for the commercials. They are also big on foreign laguages also. Which the learning of is on the decline in U.S. schools from what i've heard. They do use "consultants", i.e. contractors though. Mostly the paramilitary types for the Special Activities Division. And some tech geeks and liguists as well on occasion. A buddy of mine is a linguist, he used to "consult" for them from time to time. He said it was relatively boring but says it was good in keeping his linguistic skills up.

reply to post by bg_socalif

I don't know what you would consider good pay but starting salaries with the CIA average about 45k I say that is a really good starting salary for soemone wth a BS and fresh out of school.

www.cia.gov...

That's a low price in exchange for eternal damnation. Intelligence agencies are the modern organizations whose main purpose is to instigate conflict. Now it seems that the CIA will start labeling U.S. citizens as enemy combatants based on their ideology. 45k doesn't seem like reasonable motivator to become a treasonous fiend contributing to an evil agency.

Yes thats the rub,they don't want to pay anything,then they want you to relocate to Virginia,I know of a few approached by them,hard to get someone to move from So Calif,to Virginia to start,and to get paid nothing