Anchor claims whole milk is king in new spots

Milk used to be the king of the fridge. It was the go-to for baking, poured in coffee, churned into butter and celebrated with cereal. Drinking a whole glass of milk well past the baby age was perfectly normal.  

Then humans began to milk everything in sight—oats, almonds, soy, hemp, coconut, quinoa, you name it. Whole milk was dethroned by a parade of plant-based entrants, all flaunting their own nutritional and environmental benefits.

But now, New Zealand dairy giant Anchor is bringing milk back with a campaign claiming that ‘Nothing Beats Real Milk’.

Creative arm TBWA New Zealand was tasked with a category reappraisal to bring whole milk into the spotlight and normalise drinking a glass of milk as a beverage. And they’ve roped a broad lineup for the task including Olympian shot-putter Valerie Adams, dancer Lance Savali, and even Popeye who trades spinach for milk in several short spots.

“Drinking milk by the glass is not something seen as much anymore, yet it used to be a staple at breakfast, lunch, and bedtime. Even part of a school lunch. The campaign is based around bringing back that visibility and permissibility,” says Shane Bradnick, CCO of TBWA New Zealand.

Lucy Bailey group marketing manager explains the scale of the campaign: “In year one alone, Anchor will make a significant investment in the category, with a highly visible and iconic campaign that aims to champion the goodness of dairy. Letting every New Zealander know that nothing beats real milk.

“Per capita consumption has been declining for years, which is a big concern, as calcium and protein are crucial for building strong bones, maintaining muscles and supporting overall health. To get these lost audiences to consider milk again, we needed to take a confident, category leadership position.”

Ad Nut likes that these spots are fresh and trendy. No overblown bone-building claims here. If you’re not lactose intolerant, organic whole milk is nutritious, but so are plenty of other options. At least the ads aren’t trying too hard.

The campaign will be seen all over New Zealand starting September, with sponsorships, TV show activations, in-store promotions, giveaways, and influencer work.

Can campaigns like this turn the tide against the plant-based wave? Only time—and perhaps the magic touch of influencers—will tell. 

CREDITS

Client Partner: Anchor
Marketing and Innovation Director Oceania: Renee Milkop-Kerr
Group Marketing Manager: Lucy Bailey
Marketing Manager: Olivia Robbins

Agency: TBWA New Zealand
Chief Creative Officer: Shane Bradnick
Creative Director: Mick Stalker
Senior Art Director: Darran Wong Kam
Chief Executive Officer: Catherine Harris
General Manager: Simon Mills
Group Business Director: Caroline Logan
Business Director: Hitesh Patel
Senior Producers: Sascha Mortimer & Tabitha Parke-Gailey
Print Producer: Mark Paisey
AV Production: FINCH Company
Director:  A.J. Greenwood      

Music Composition: Beatworms
Composer: Cam Ballantyne

Stills Production: The Pool Collective & IDC
Photographer: Juliet Taylor

PR Agency: TBWA Eleven
Media Partner: EssenceMediacom
Agency Partners: Tribal and RAYDAR
Popeye Illustrations Licensing by Born Licensing