Campaign: Science of Imitation Milk Glasses Sale
Company: The California Milk Processor Board
Nonprofit Partner: THINK Together, the Bay Area Community Resources and the Central Valley Afterschool Foundation
Launch Date: July 9, 2012
Campaign Description:
The California Milk Processor Board, the creator of GOT MILK?, has release a cause-related marketing promotion via the sale of limited edition milk glasses to benefit California community-based organizations. An extension of GOT MILK?’s latest campaign, ‘Science of Imitation Milk,’ the glasses come two in a set: the real milk glass showing the very short list of ingredients that can be found in dairy milk (milk and vitamin D3) in contrast to the “imitation milk” glass which has a multitude of hard-to-pronounce ingredients. One hundred percent of the $15 price tag for the glasses will go to the benefitting charities with a goal to raise $50,000 overall.
Our Take:
We’re intrigued by this use of cause-related marketing to move a product clearly designed to hammer home a key brand marketing message. Although the partner nonprofit organizations align well with the milk brand (they all support healthy lifestyle programs for kids and families), they are easily lost in this particular promotion. What if the limited edition glasses each featured a different nonprofit that chooses ‘real’ milk? How would that change this campaign? Using a 100%-of-proceeds formula does allow for clean and easy-to-understand campaign communications, always a benefit in cause marketing efforts.
what is this? i dont even… i will admit that it was entertaining and i did like how cheesy *har har* it was, but i am not sure exactly what they are trying to do here. i guess make the ingredients of artificial milk look weird and scary because people do not know the “scientific” nutritional terms for vitamins and minerals? every “curious” ingredient they mentioned was for a vitamin or mineral, except for the vegetable gums (which are safe and aid with controlling diabetes and cholesterol) and carrageenan, which comes from kelp. some people are afraid of carrageenan because of its potential to be carcinogenic. it can be, if it has a low molecular weight. the kind they use in food has a high molecular weight and is safe, they don’t and can’t put “bad” carrageenan in foods. (chocolate milk has carrageenan in it as well as vegetable gums, so what gives?). riboflavin b2 isnt some chemical made in a lab, its, *shock* vitamin b2: a key nutrient for good health. i ended up on this site because of an ad that said: “just how do you pronounce alpha-tocopherol”? oh, you mean a type of vitamin e? something fantastically beneficial in your diet? well shucks, why do you ask, crazy alluring ad? being curious as always, i clicked on it and went through these activities. i am still confused… if you know what is really in milk its pretty damn disgusting. i am not demonizing milk or anything because it is both “ok” and bad. too much soymilk can also be bad. almond milk is just great. i am hip to the evils of nasty mass-produced foods as well as things that concern nutritional science, so im not trying to present this post as some kind of anti-milk or monsanto chugger or anything, but this is just, well… i am still scratching my head on this one. i also know that the amount of vitamins and minerals in any food is useless if it is not properly absorbed by the body which can depend on many factors. i love how they call you an “expert” without actually teaching you anything and then playfully insult you a few times. i am not sure what they are trying to accomplish by playing on scientific ignorance with… “science!?!?!?” this really doesn’t make any sense, from a scientist. GO SCIENCE!!! 😀
oh yeah, i just remembered the reason why milk is sold in opaque containers too. it is to block out light because it will destroy the riboflavin. why the hell are these people dissing on b2 when they go out of their way to make sure it is protected in milk and it is something good for you? this is quite the marketing scheme. it just screams “we thrive on your ignorance and our nonsensical misinformation”. way to go, dairy industry’s marketing team. you fail forever.