The Milk Marketing Forum has teamed up with leading charity, BeatBullying, for a year-long partnership of co-branded activity featuring its celebrity-driven Make Mine Milk brand.
Current funding arrangements for the ‘make mine Milk’ campaign, with money supplied by the five MMF members and the European Commission, came to an end in October 2012 following the final burst of advertising featuring Olympic trio Laura Trott, Nicola Adams and Jade Jones.
However, remaining funds from the dairy industry have been used to deliver a number of hard working tactics over the course of 2012 and 2013. One element of the extended campaign is a partnership with BeatBullying that will see at least six PR and social media initiatives unveiled between now and October 2013.
Sandy Wilkie, Chairman of the Milk Marketing Forum, said: “The ‘Make Mine Milk’ campaign has been a great success, and now it’s vital that we use the limited remaining funds from MMF member companies to ensure an ongoing legacy. Whilst this will be low-level, our planned activity does ensure that we can still promote low fat milk to young people and families.
“Our partnership with BeatBullying is a fantastic way to continue the campaign – BeatBullying is a successful charity that is in touch with, and popular among, Britain’s teenagers and their parents. The partnership will provide a cornerstone of another important year for ‘make mine Milk’ as we look to secure future funding from across the industry. For the long-term health of milk in Britain, it’s crucial that everyone – including farmers – plays their part.”
Emma-Jane Cross, Chief Executive and founder of the BeatBullying Group, added:
“This partnership with ‘make mine Milk’ will mean that thousands more young people can be made aware of, and benefit from BeatBullying’s essential online and offline support. It takes us one step closer on our mission to make bullying unacceptable, and we look forward to helping many more young people as a result.”
Since launching in April 2010, a whole host of celebrities have fronted the ‘make mine Milk’ campaign including Olympic gold medalists Laura Trott, Nicola Adams and Jade Jones, the ultimate hardman Vinnie Jones, independent woman Kelly Rowland, Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, F1 driver Jenson Button, supermodel Elle Macpherson, pop princess Pixie Lott and Britain’s angriest chef, Gordon Ramsay.
Latest tracking data by Researchcraft shows that ‘make mine Milk’ campaign awareness is now at record levels: 62% overall and 70% amongst teenage girls. And in terms of volume, figures released by Kantar show that sales of milk increased by 2.1% in the 12 months ending May 2011, the first year of the campaign. They increased by a further 1.5% in the following 12-month period, reversing the long-term decline in milk sales.
