The British army is hoping to boost its declining number of recruits by rolling out an ad campaign targeting “snowflakes,” “self addicts” and “me me me millennials.”

The campaign is based on the historic “Your Country Needs You” World War I poster. Instead of British Army Field Marshal Herbert Kitchener, the posters feature “binge gamers,” “phone zombies” and “class clowns” — undesirable traits to some that otherwise might be used in the military.

“The army spots potential. Even if others don’t,” reads the slogan.

The campaign states that the army could use the “compassion” of “snowflakes,” the “self-belief” of millennials, the “confidence” of selfie-takers, the “focus” of phone zombies and the “drive” of binge gamers, The Guardian reported.

“We are trying to show that we are unlocking potential, potential that many elements of society may not see in young people but we do,” Col. Ben Wilde, head of recruiting for the British army, told journalists Thursday, NBC News reported. “We are not saying we want binge gamers, but want the attributes of someone who plays computer games all night that they might have, someone might have that degree of resilience, of stamina, of know-how.”

Nick Terry, a marketing director behind the campaign, said they aimed to combat stereotypes placed on today’s youths.

“I think ‘snowflake’ was the word of the year in the Collins Dictionary in 2016,” he said, NBC reported. “The message we’re trying to get across is the army doesn’t actually recognize those labels and we just see the potential in that generation, whoever they are, whatever their background.”

The campaign is being mocked on social media as “patronizing,” “desperate” and “insulting” to younger generations.

Not sure why the British Army thinks insulting young people is a good recruitment tactic. What an awful campaign. pic.twitter.com/5DjI4GHVPq — Sarah Hayward (@Sarah_Hayward) January 3, 2019

playing Red Dead Redemption for ten hours a day >>>>> fighting in literal wars pic.twitter.com/SDLghdvEYA — Chris Godfrey (@ChrisPJGodfrey) January 3, 2019

“Snowflakes, selfie addicts, class clowns, phone zombies, and me, me, millennials” – sure nothing attracts young people like slurs used against them by older generations https://t.co/UiwNzfxNW5 — Elle Hunt (@mlle_elle) January 3, 2019

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