Got Elevation?

In 1993, the California Milk Processor Board enlisted the advertising skills of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners to create a campaign to boost sales of milk, which had been in the doldrums of a 20-year slump.

The campaign kicked off with this classic TV spot, directed by Michael Bay. Lifting sales of a product that had become passé in the minds of young people would be no easy task, especially considering the unique challenges facing the Board. The biggest challenge was that since the campaign was underwritten by an association of dairies, neither the product nor the packaging could be affected. In essence, competitors were working together to boost the overall relevance of their commoditized product. So the campaign could only be about positioning and messaging.

However, to call the campaign a complete success would be an understatement. The TV spots changed the cultural landscapes and won awards. The Got Milk? slogan entered the vernacular. The campaign, initially local to California, was licensed to dairy boards across the United States. Got Milk? became ubiquitous.

But, most importantly, milk sales turned around. In 1994, just a year after the ads began running, California’s sales of milk saw their first increase in more than a decade.

The Advertising Educational Foundation has published a great case study of the campaign by Douglas Holt.

So, clever advertising works? We know that.

That’s not what this is about. It’s about elevating a single idea.

Realizing that milk, as a whole (no pun intended), was in decline, the dairies of California knew that in a commoditized market, the only way for anyone to build business would be to raise awareness of the benefits of the product. Packaging and unique production processes would remain within the purview of the individual dairies, but the California Milk Processor Board was created so everyone could benefit from milk’s elevated stature.

How you, too, can elevate!

While you’re probably not going to run out and partner up with your competitors, you can think about ways to elevate the ideas and subjects that surround your product, instead of just showing what it can do in your advertising.

So, for example, if you sell stereo equipment, how about a techie blog where the associated sound technologies are discussed along with what innovations are being made in the audio field.

If you’re a baker, get involved in agricultural communities to grow conversation about flours and sugars.

Are you a bank? What a great opportunity to educated consumers on the way the financial systems work.

Takeaway

Web communities and social media are channels where discussions take place. They present great opportunities for a brand to share the ideas and technologies that go into their products.

The point is, by elevating the discussion of the subjects that surround your brand, you’ll be able to gain trust and reputation as experts. This will build awareness and will ultimately influence buying decisions.

About the author

Brad Schwarzenbach -

As an analyst on the Tippingpoint Strategy team, Brad explores new opportunities for clients to build relationships with their customers. He’s always testing new social media channels, poring over analytic data, and identifying emerging trends. He also speaks at conferences & events about uncovering powerful messages hidden within brands' unique values.

Brad’s research has contributed to the development of content & contributor strategies for such clients as Breville, Rodale, Long’s Jewelers, and Fusionapps, as well as being a frequent contributor to the Tippingpoint blog. He’s been “listening” to the way we communicate online since the old AOL People Connection days and watched the way that digital communication has evolved.

An English and Creative Writing major at the University of Connecticut, Brad’s spent most of his career creating web content and becoming intimately familiar with web theory for Bayard, Inc. and TomTom Inc., giving Brad keen ears and eyes to what, exactly, makes web content valuable.

Outside the office, Brad feels most at home with his beautiful wife-to-be Kristina, or on the golf course. “There’s a distinct pace and rhythm to the way people communicate online.  Understanding and taking part in them yields amazing opportunities for my clients to not only grow but to improve their business. I’m constantly looking for those opportunities.”