For six weeks, the marketing and advertising students from Center for Advanced Research and Technology (CART) in Clovis worked hard to craft what they believe could be the next GOT MILK? campaign targeted at young people. They talked to more than 700 teenagers about milk. They debated over 50 advertising concepts.
Represented by five students in the class, they traveled to San Francisco with high hopes of following in the footsteps of those who made GOT MILK? part of American pop culture. With butterflies in their stomachs, CART students presented their ideas to the judges. To effectively market to teens, they said, milk must be presented as exciting, unattainable, even taboo. Using wit and humor as well as day-in-the-life experiences of teens, CART students impressed the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB), the creator of GOT MILK?, and its advertising firm, San Francisco-based Goodby, Silverstein and Partners (GSP). As a result, CART carted away the cashprize of $2,000.
“Sitting there listening to what these students had come up with was just remarkable,” said Steve James, executive director of the CMPB. “They were so professional that you wouldn’t know they were in high school. The CART students captured the essence of the GOT MILK? campaign and its history.”
CART’s win was a result of an advertising competition to celebrate the 15th year of one of the most recognizable taglines in the U.S.: GOT MILK?. To successfully execute this program, GOT MILK? partnered with Junior Achievement, a non-profit organization that brings the real world to students through hands-on curriculum. For six weeks, students at Amador Valley High School in Alameda County, Orange High School in Orange County and CART in Fresno County learned about the GOT MILK? brand and the principles of advertising. Each school formed a mock advertising agency responsible for conducting research and writing strategic plans to ultimately create the advertising concepts they presented to the CMPB and GSP.
“To see what these young people brought to this 15-year-old campaign has been delightful,” said Jeff Goodby, GSP co-chairman/creative director. “They suggested new twists of design, story and thinking that will definitely inspire us here at the agency for a long time to come.”
Creative entries CART presented three television spots in storyboard format, using humor to appeal to the teenage audience while still addressing the health benefits of drinking milk. One of the spots called “Awkward Moment” shows a father concerned about the changes his son is undergoing: building muscles and exploring new things. As the father starts to have “the talk,” the son confesses that he experiments. He now drinks milk for strong bones, teeth and better sleep. Relieved to see his son interested in milk, the father closes the spot with, ‘I’m glad we had this talk.'”
Amador Valley High School presented the theme “Brawn, Beauty and Brains” with the slogan YNotMilk? to highlight the health benefits of the “wonder tonic.” To demonstrate the beauty benefits of milk–healthy hair, skin and nails–the students created a TV spot that opens with a girl who has been teased because of her looks. One day, she decides to drink milk before going to bed. In the morning, she is magically transformed into a beautiful girl with the perfect hair and skin. In addition to TV, Amador Valley also proposed a variety of promotional contests to get teens excited about milk.
In the case of Orange High School, students proposed a concept with a mythical story book theme. The protagonist, Dr. Lactasé, travels from town to town, introducing people to milk: a superdrink that will help cure people of the ailments they suffer, like PMS, weak bones and unhealthy hair. Along the way, he recruits these people to join his caravan to spread awareness of the health benefits of milk.
As a way to thank Amador Valley and Orange High Schools for their dedication to the project, the CMPB will also award each school $1,000.
To get a peek at the schools’ advertising pitches, go to www.gotmilk.com.
Review: Director Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked”
It's the ultimate celebrity redemption tour, two decades in the making. In the annals of pop culture, few characters have undergone an image makeover quite like the Wicked Witch of the West.
Oh, she may have been vengeful and scary in "The Wizard of Oz." But something changed — like, REALLY changed — on the way from the yellow brick road to the Great White Way. Since 2003, crowds have packed nightly into "Wicked" at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre to cheer as the green-skinned, misunderstood Elphaba rises up on her broomstick to belt "Defying Gravity," that enduring girl-power anthem.
How many people have seen "Wicked"? Rudimentary math suggests more than 15 million on Broadway alone. And now we have "Wicked" the movie, director Jon M. Chu's lavish, faithful, impeccably crafted (and nearly three-hour) ode to this origin story of Elphaba and her (eventual) bestie — Glinda, the very good and very blonde. Welcome to Hollywood, ladies.
Before we get to what this movie does well (Those big numbers! Those costumes!), just a couple thornier issues to ponder. Will this "Wicked," powered by a soulful Cynthia Erivo (owner of one of the best singing voices on the planet) and a sprightly, comedic, hair-tossing Ariana Grande, turn even musical theater haters into lovers?
Tricky question. Some people just don't buy into the musical thing, and they should be allowed to live freely amongst us. But if people breaking into song delights rather than flummoxes you, if elaborate dance numbers in village squares and fantastical nightclubs and emerald-hued cities make perfect sense to you, and especially if you already love "Wicked," well then, you will likely love this film. If it feels like they made the best "Wicked" movie money could buy — well, it's... Read More