Campaign Insight

Developed by longtime California Milk Processing Board (CMPB) advertising agency, San Francisco-based Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, the "Pouring" campaign included five television commercials touting milk as a super food-- in all of its health promoting benefits. All five commercials rely on the backhanded humor of major league athletes taking substances that improve their performance, but in this case, it's good, old fashioned milk.

For example, "Caught" opens with a sports anchor delivering the news of a baseball hitter being pulled from the game after testing positive for a new performance-enhancing substance. Cut to locker room frenzy where coaches and managers rummage through a player's locker to find the performance-enhancement culprit-- a half-gallon of milk. "Everyone knew he was pouring," says one of the player's teammates in the spot. The accused player tries to defend his actions, cites the broad availability and usage of the substance, but to no avail. The spot then closes with the now ubiquitous GOT MILK? tagline.

The commercials broke on television October 11th during the opening of the 2005 post-season playoffs. However, for the first time ever, consumers were able to view the commercials before they hit the airwaves by visiting http://www.gotmilk.com/. They were even invited to send in their comments directly to GOT MILK?

Now in its twelfth year, GOT MILK? has helped sell millions of gallons of milk and become an American icon. The dairy industry spends $150 million annually to support GOT MILK?, including use on Milk Mustache ads in magazines. In addition, GOT MILK? is a hot property licensed on hundreds of products over the last decade.

Not everyone likes the "Pouring" campaign. Major League Baseball criticized CMPB and the agency for poking fun at steroid abuse, a serious issue for professional players as well as for today's youth.