In 1995, the California Milk Processor Board's advertising agency, Goodby, Silverstein and Partners, created the iconic "Got Milk?" slogan that lead national dairy marketing efforts up until earlier this year. Branching off of that success, the board partnered with agency Grupo Gallegos in 2005 to create a Spanish version of the campaign, "Toma leche," or "Drink milk."
Now, the two ad agencies have combined forces for the first time and unveiled a campaign last week designed to appeal to people of all ethnicities. Two television commercials, in both English and Spanish, were released last week; next up are radio ads, digital ads and social media content.
The board had been using one agency to create advertising for the general market and another to promote milk to their Spanish-speaking consumers. The board asked the two agencies to collaborate to encourage all Californians, regardless of their background or the language they speak, to buy and drink more milk. This is a shift to cross-cultural marketing, also known as a total market approach, reported the New York Times.
As the American population becomes more diverse, it only makes sense to focus on the similarities between customers rather than the differences. In California, according to the 2011 U.S. census, approximately 13.7 percent of residents speak only Spanish. No matter what language they communicate in, all parents have a desire to provide their children a happy and healthy future. And that is the heart of this new milk marketing campaign in California.
The author is an associate editor and covers animal health, dairy housing and equipment, and nutrient management. She grew up on a dairy farm near Plymouth, Wis., and previously served as a University of Wisconsin agricultural extension agent. She received a master's degree from North Carolina State University and a bachelor's from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
