by
Steve Cony
One would have to live snugly under a rock to be unaware of the Dairy
Management Inc. co-op advertising campaign featuring all those assorted
people with white “mustaches” and the simple message “got milk?®” We can
learn some valuable lessons from the development and resulting successes
of this campaign.
“got milk?®” was first seen in 1993 — eight years ago. Think about that.
You have seen the advertising for eight years, and you probably still
look forward to each new version! Perhaps the most important aspect of
the campaign is that the two-word line has not been altered once. Regional
milk producer co-ops continue to saturate their marketplaces with these
messages. While there has been a continuous refreshment of the people
shown consuming milk, including celebrities, the basic premise has remained
untouched.
This campaign has achieved considerable success. By 1996, three years
after inception, 91 percent of consumers were aware of this campaign —
91 percent! In a year when Budweiser introduced its frogs, 47 percent
said they liked those commercials a lot, and 41 percent said they liked
the “got milk?®” campaign a lot.
Faced with a multilevel onslaught from Coke, Pepsi, Gatorade, Snapple,
Evian, and more, this campaign has arrested a previous decline in milk
sales and has helped to cause a leveling off of consumption. In this case,
“leveling off” is just fine with the milk producers — as opposed to the
ominous future they knew they might be facing.
The keys to this campaign are strategy and continuity. First, careful
strategizing was employed. Instead of endlessly lecturing the public about
the wholesome value of milk, the advertising “got current” and began to
have fun with the subject. Then, instead of encouraging milk consumption
alone, the campaign highlighted the benefits of milk and other foods —
cereal, cookies, and brownies. Next, they added the perfect twist: show
the peril that sets in when one of these foods is desired and there is
no milk left as an accompaniment. Oh the horror! Jeff Manning, executive
director of the California Milk Processing Board, said, “You have to look
at your business and discover what is different or unique, and play to
that quality. We didn’t try to change the milk business — we looked at
the truths that were already there and found a different way to present
our product.”
Perhaps even more important, there has been perfect continuity since
1993. Nobody has convinced anybody to drop the theme because “we’ve used
it for a long time now.” The theme remains untouched, while the execution
of that theme is continually refreshed.
Refreshing Continuity
What can you learn from the “got milk?®” campaign? Too often, valuable
camp marketing messages become lost because the camp director becomes
bored handing out the same brochure or video. Too often, the purchase
of a new piece of equipment or the construction of a new building becomes
an instant rationale for taking the marketing message back to square one.
Here are some suggestions to encourage your maintenance of valuable continuity:
- Remember that you have seen the marketing message before — in fact,
over and over again — but every one of your valuable prospects is seeing
it for the very first time.
- Keep in mind that it is less expensive to continue or even enhance
the same campaign theme than to start all over.
- Encourage positive word of mouth about your camp operation by keeping
your message consistent.
- Evaluate whether you should continually change your Web site. The
changes may be easily made, but are they prudent or even necessary?
While it is unwise to turn over a successful campaign merely for the
sake of change, it is certainly advisable to refresh the theme and take
it to new heights. Manning commented, “How we express ‘got milk?®’ will
change over time, but we’re no longer seeing it as a jingle or a campaign.
We’re seeing it as the dairy industry’s brand.”
Sharing the Story
Another marketing effort that deserves emphasis and continuity is the
ACA ‘World of Good’ message. Each of you must share the responsibility
for making this story of the deeper value of the camp experience part
of your own marketing platforms. The ‘World of Good’ message must be delivered
with consistency in order for the story to gain awareness, understanding,
and believability in the marketplace. To publish one flyer which outlines
the key messages for your constituency — and then to not reinforce this
message over and over — is probably a regrettable waste of time and ink.
Instead, adopt your own personalized version of the ‘World of Good’ benefits
statements as part of your camp’s campaign.
This column is perhaps a bit shorter than others in this series. (Mom
taught me, “Say what you have to say, then sit down.”) The conclusion
is simple: If you have developed a strategically strong marketing message
and you want it to have long-term impact, ask yourself, “got patience?”
Originally published in the 2001 November/December
issue of Camping Magazine. |
