Dairymen and women are focus of "local values" campaign.
A breaking TV, print, online and outdoor advertising campaign for Upstate Farms brand milk features Western New York dairy farmers and their values. Created by advertising agency Cenergy, East Aurora, N.Y., it is the first-ever integrated brand campaign, and the first-ever TV advertising for Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Buffalo. The dairymen and women, identified by name and town in four web interviews (not yet final) and on all print advertising, offer plain farm wisdom. "Our cows work hard for us, so we work our hardest for them," (Sarah and Robert Colby, Spencerport, N.Y.), or "A pasture is where the cows are supposed to be, it's what nature made for them," (Bob and Nancy Steinbar, East Otto, N.Y.), and likewise from Larry and Gary Hibsch of Strykersville, and Karl and Tina Kowalski of Lockport, N.Y. (The TV?commercial stars mostly the cows.) View at http://tinyurl.com/8ye3g7y . All video footage and print photography was shot on 13 Upstate Niagara Cooperative farms The look is unvarnished. There was no TV "production company." The shooter for both video and print, Rhea Anna, of Buffalo, strives only for "simple living, effortlessly portrayed." The campaign, titled "Return to Values," aims to separate the area co-op's milk from its faceless competitors. Its place-centric, farm-centric, and farmer-centric message is intended to appeal to three growing, and only partially overlapping, demographic segments: those who want to eat local produce; to support the local economy; or to identify with rural integrity. The tagline is "Welcome back to the farm." The media buy targets moms 25 to 49 in the Buffalo and Rochester DMAs. TV?airs on broadcast news programming and on the CW network. Print runs in regional newspapers and locavore magazines. Billboards are at both urban and highway locations, and Flash banners appear on local news, plus geo-targeted mom sites. The campaign also includes a relaunched, farmer-focused website, www.upstatefarms.com , and FSIs. Upstate Niagara Cooperative (Upstate Farms), Buffalo, consists of a family of dairy farmers (representing over 360 local farms across Central and Western New York) who care deeply about quality and freshness. Their commitment provides consumers with a line of fresh, wholesome and delicious products, including milk, butter, yogurt, flavored milk and eggnog Cenergy, East Aurora, N.Y., is a full-service brand-activation firm specializing in sports, entertaiment, and consumer packaged goods. In addition to traditional advertising, Cenergy delivers experiential marketing, sales promotion and sponsorship-activation services to clients including ESPN, Turner Cable Networks, First Niagara Bank, Upstate Farms, and Zippo. www.activatingbrands.com. 3.19.2012