Got Milk?

1300 Words3 Pages

In 1993, due to the decline in milk consumption, dairy farmers in California came together to form the California Milk Processors Board (CMPB). They agreed to give three cents for each gallon sold to fund an advertising campaign with the main purpose of “reminding people to drink milk” (gotmilk.com). Jeff Manning, the man hired by the CMPB to find an advertising company, appointed an ad agency known today as: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. The San Francisco based company began immediate consumer research in which they found the majority of people loathed running out of milk, especially when sitting down to a sweet or sticky treat. They took this information and formed what’s known as the deprivation strategy. Rather than just advertising milk as a compliment to certain foods, they would remind people of the disappointment associated with running out of milk during those moments of indulgence. Thus, hidden fear appeal laid the groundwork for one of the most recognized, respected and overall successful advertising campaigns known today: The National Milk Mustache "got milk?" Campaign.

The target audience for the “Got Milk?” ads was very simple to determine: anyone who drank milk. To try to convince people who didn’t like milk to drink it would be not only expensive, but unsuccessful. The idea was that an increase in consumption would mean an increase in sales. Since 70% of Californians reported drinking milk regularly, marketing teams had to take all personality types into consideration (Holt). This included researching the idealistic thinkers and believers, the self expressive experiencers and makers, as well as the impulsive strivers and achievers.(VALs) With the findings of their research teams, Manning and Goodby came up wit...

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... into peoples minds. The “got milk?” campaign’s one of the most successful and influential advertising campaigns created to this day.

Works Cited:

Got milk?. Advertisement. Flickr.com. Bart and Lisa Simpson. Print 2006. Web. 17 Oct 2009. http://www.flickr.com/photos/50576036@N00/sets/72157612666675594/

Got milk?. Advertisement. Whymilk.com. Elizabeth Hurley. Web. 17 Oct 2009.

--- Advertisement. Whymilk.com. Angie Harmon. Web. 17 Oct 2009.

--- Advertisement. Whymilk.com. Suze Orman. Web. 17 Oct 2009.

Got milk?. Adertisement. Youtube.com The Original “got milk?” Commercial. TV 2003. Web. 17 Oct. 2009.

Holt Douglas B. got milk?. Holt.com. Advertising Educational Foundation. 2002. Web. 17 Oct 2009.

“Milk Mustache Celeberties”. Whymilk.com. ads index. Web. 17 Oct. 2009.

“VALS Types”. SRI Consulting Business Intelligence. n.d. 2001. Web. 17 Oct 2009.

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