24/24 Milk Your Diet. Lose Weight!
WASHINGTON — To educate consumers about the exciting new research that links milk to weight loss, the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) today launches its major marketing effort for 2004 using a full court press of marketing activities. The "24/24 Milk Your Diet. Lose Weight!" initiative combines advertising, public relations and promotions efforts to create perhaps the most powerful MilkPEP program ever.
"This is an unprecedented effort," says MilkPEP CEO Kurt Graetzer. "By using the same message across multiple marketing disciplines, we will greatly increase awareness for the importance of milk in all diets and its role in weight loss."
The catchy slogan provides a unique weight loss message and creates a very practical approach to milk consumption because all milk counts whether added to cereal, combined with coffee or enjoyed by the glass. And, it supports the traditional "drink three eight-ounce glasses of milk a day" message. Plus, in today's marketplace 24 ounces isn't that much — many single-serve sodas are 20 ounces. The 24/24 Milk Your Diet. Lose Weight! slogan doesn't support a specific "milk diet," but advocates including milk in all diets.
Public Relations
The initiative kicks-off today with a public relations event at the busy South Street Seaport in New York City. Launch events include a special milk toast, a 24-minute group workout led by fitness trainers from Bally Total Fitness, body fat and bone density screenings, a milk mustache photo booth, milk smoothies and milk samples provided by various processors. Dr. Pam Peeke, a nutrition expert from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, will address the crowd about the overweight and obesity epidemic and milk's role in weight loss. Partner organization the American Dietetic Association will be recognized for its support of 24/24 Milk Your Diet. Lose Weight!
Milk processors interested in piggy-backing with the national launch can customize press materials in the "got news?" section of www.milkpep.org with their brands to use in their local markets.
Milk Mustache Mobile
The Milk Mustache Mobile is doing "double duty" this year on its 100 city tour. While one side of the truck promotes milk's flavor variety and single-serve convenience, the other extends the milk weight-loss message with 24/24 Milk Your Diet. Lose Weight! graphics. The mobile also carries a portable "sampling bar" that is set up inside retail stores or in other high-traffic areas like malls. At the bar, consumers can taste milk smoothies, ask nutrition experts health questions and receive materials about the important role milk plays in weight loss.
A new website for consumers, www.2424milk.com will replace www.HealthyWeightWithMilk.com and contain new materials to educate consumers about milk's nutrition benefits. The new site will be promoted in all of the 24/24 Milk Your Diet. Lose Weight! materials.
Advertising
In advertising, print ads touting the milk and weight loss connection are already running. The Dr. Phil ad, launched in March, is the first celebrity ad with this theme. This month the second ad featuring actress Kelly Preston will debut. For the remainder of 2004, all ads for moms will emphasize milk's role in weight loss.
Additionally, three new TV spots are being created. The first spot, currently running on TV nationally, introduces audiences to the milk and weight loss connection. The other ads will debut this summer and fall, and run through the rest of 2004.
Promotion
In June, "The Shape You Want to Be In" promotion will educate consumers about milk's weight loss benefits. MilkPEP is partnering with Shape magazine to distribute about 13 million copies of a custom weight loss guide that is free with any purchase of milk. Then from mid-July to mid-August the "Show Off with the Top Down" promotion will give away 24 VW Beetle convertibles in 24 days to reward consumers for incorporating more milk into their diets and adopting healthier lifestyles. To enter the contest, consumers will enter UPC codes from milk packages on the contest's website, www.2424milk.com. Consumers must enter each day to be eligible for that day's raffle.
Processors with a weight-loss license from the International dairy Foods Association can put the "24/24 Milk Your Diet." logo on their milk labels, use branded promotional materials and make specific claims about milk's role in weight loss. Processors without a license can use generic weight loss point-of-sale materials.
Milk processors interested in learning more about 24/24 Milk Your Diet. Lose Weight! should visit www.milkpep.org.
The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), also known as the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board, is funded by the nation's milk processors who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption.
Source: Milk Processor Education Program