The organisation behind the iconic “Got Milk?” campaign has announced it will launch a new slogan in 2014.
In a bid to remain relevant with people today, the Milk Processors Education Program (MilkPEP) is spending more than $50 million to market milk under the new catchphrase “Milk Life” and focus more on its protein content as well as other nutritional benefits.
The slogan itself plays on popular social media hashtags that describe activities or experiences as a key part of life – think #CafeLife, #StudentLife, #HealthyLife, #HipsterLife or #QuidLife, for example. It also suggests that milk is an essential part of life.
Pushing the nutritional benefits (and more specifically the protein content of milk), on the other hand, fits with the current trends towards healthier eating and lifestyles.
As interim CEO of MilkPEP, Julia Kadison, explains in an interview with AdAge.com, protein is “really in the news and on consumer’s minds”. It is the macronutrient of choice at the moment, pushing carbohydrates and fats to the side and often being referred to as an essential ingredient for muscle mass and lean physiques.
But as the emphasis places on protein by everyone from health and fitness experts to athletes and gym junkies has led to an increase in the sales of protein powders, bars and shakes, milk sales have been falling.
In fact, data from Euromonitor International in 2013 showed that milk sales were down 1% for the year, and have been heading in that direction for years.
“A lot of people don’t know that milk has protein, so it was very important to make that connection between milk and protein,” Kadison explains.
But that will not be the case for much longer, if MilkPEP has anything to do with it. The company has already launched a range of ads flexing milk’s protein power.
A new TV ad, for example, shows milk literally powering people through high-energy activities like running, basketball and playing in a rock band. Similarly, the new print ads show “what 8 grams of protein looks like” in scenarios that include playing with kids, break dancing and “[unleashing] your inner rock star”.
In contrast, the old “Got Milk” ads favoured humour and dramatisation of situations where milk could complement meals. AdAge.com writer E.J. Schultz explains that the original ads would outline “situations in which consumers suffer without milk to accompany foods like cake and cookies.”
“One of the original ads created…showed a man who failed a radio contest quiz question — “Who shot Alexander Hamilton?” — because he lacked milk to clear his mouth after munching on a peanut butter sandwich.”
Then there were the quirky milk moustache photos of celebrities promoting milk, which have become synonymous with milk branding. While “Milk Life” tries to capture current pop culture sentiments, “Got Milk” has history behind it and has actually been a part of the industry for over 20 years.
But Kadison has said that “Got Milk” will be sticking around in some capacity, and the California Milk Processor board intends to continue using it for most promotions, so there’s no need to wave goodbye to it just yet.
Promoting Foods for Business
There is a wide range of advertising materials for specific brands, both in and out of the food industry, but specific food groups tend to have much less promotional materials on their plate.
As a result, campaigns focusing on something as specific as milk, often cause more of a buzz. There are, after all, many different brands that produce and sell milk, and all of them could align with an organisation like MilkPEP (or Dairy Australia locally).
Unlike brand-specific promotions, these campaigns aim to make entire industries more profitable – and spend big bucks to get there.
An Australian example in a similar vein to “Milk Life” is Meat and Livestock Australia’s “Eat Red Meat” campaign with Jurassic Park actor Sam Neill. The first ads launched in 2005, when red meat’s nutrition was being questioned and criticised by the health industry.
As Mumbrella explains, Meat and Livestock Australia wanted to “get the message across that red meat has been a part of the human diet since humans first evolved”, and Neill said as much in many of his popular (and controversial) TV ads.
Reports in 2011 put MLA’s annual domestic marketing budget at about $25 million, of which $9.5 million is spent specifically on advertising – significantly less than MilkPEP’s current campaign costs.
But still, MLA has drummed up enough hype through media attention (and PETA protests against its message) that there is now much more consumer awareness around meat benefits and options.
The value of eating things from different food groups has been proven time and again. But it is still important to remember that there are marketing minds behind the posters and videos supporting these foods, whether it is milk, meat or even bananas.
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