UPDATE: Saturday, January 22 - Over a hundred area high school and college students gathered Friday afternoon to charge Leo Burnett USA with war profiteering, and protest the Chicago-based agency's role in creating the deceptive ‘Army of One’ advertising campaign, which has aggressively targeted low-income African American and Latino youth for US Army recruitment.

Following a short rally at the State of Illinois building, protesters arrived at Burnett headquarters and made efforts to gain access to the building through several different entrances to conduct a ‘people’s inspection.’ Two activists, Tanuja Jagernauth and Allyson Kennis were able to gain entrance, and were promptly arrested. Police released them this morning after a night of hardcore jail solidarity. Read more. Photos: [ 1 | 2 | 3 ]

Leo Burnett USA, headquartered in Chicago, is the flagship office of Leo Burnett Worldwide, a global network of over 200 operating units across 83 markets. The company handles many of the world's most valuable brands -- including McDonald's, Walt Disney, Marlboro, Kellogg and Nintendo.

The US Army hired Burnett in June, 2000 to develop a the 4 year multi-media recruitment campaign -- worth a cool $400 million. Burnett's award winning campaign - 'An Army of One'- uses heavy metal music, a snappy website, video games and slick TV commericials to convince Generation Y youth that military service can be 'fun and adventurous', which as many veterans can attest, is a far cry from the truth.

For More Info: Students for Social Justice

Counter-Recruitment and Military Counseling Links:

Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors

Center On Conscience & War

Military Law Task Force of the National Lawyers Guild

GI Rights Hotline