Company: MilkPEP, Washington, DC, USA
Entry Submitted By: Weber Shandwick
Company Description: The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), Washington, D.C., is funded by the nation's milk processors, who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. The MilkPEP Board runs the National Milk Mustache "got milk?"® Campaign, a multi-faceted campaign designed to educate consumers about the health benefits of milk.
Nomination Category: Communications & Marketing Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - Marketing - Consumer Products

Nomination Title: Chocolate Milk: From the Gridiron to IRONMAN

In up to 525 words, tell the judges about the nominated campaign: its genesis, development, planning, commission, and performance to date:

RESEARCH

You probably think that after a hard workout getting ready for a marathon or triathlon, athletes should reach for a reliable sports drink. But you'd be surprised to know that good old chocolate milk—might just be the right call. After decades of declining milk consumption, credible research blew up conventional wisdom, identifying a new usage occasion and a new audience for chocolate milk: as an effective beverage for helping active adults recover after strenuous exercise.

PLANNING

To go head to head with established sports beverages and break through with our message in a way that was credible, engaging and far-reaching, we partnered with Hines Ward and transformed him from gridiron to IRONMAN triathlete. In addition, three everyday athletes won the chance to train alongside Hines, led by eight-time IRONMAN World Champion Paula Newby-Fraser.

Our winning program strategy consisted of:

•Educating, inspiring and entertaining our target with Hines Ward’s training and recovery journey by producing and promoting an online documentary series.
•Leveraging key milestones of the journey with media
•Tapping sponsorship of IRONMAN to endorse and deliver our key messages to the media and their influential online community.

EXECUTION

•Team BECOME ONE: Weber Shandwick launched a nationwide search in fall 2012 to find three “everyday athletes” to join Ward and Newby-Fraser on the training and recovery journey to BECOME ONE.
oOn October 12, 2013, all BECOME ONE team members crossed the finish line and officially became IRONMAN athletes.
•BECOME ONE Video Series: The reality-style webisodes documented the highs and lows of their grueling training and authentically showcased how chocolate milk helped their bodies recover after hard workouts.
•Credible Influencers
oLeslie Bonci MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN: Leslie served as the team’s official dietitian, educating the athletes on the importance of nutrition.
oPaula Newby-Frasier: The eight-time IRONMAN World Champion was the official coach for Team BECOME ONE.
oMirinda Carfrae, Craig Alexander, Tim O’Donnell, Chris Lieto: professional IRONMAN champions appeared throughout the campaign giving tips to team BECOME ONE.

EVALUATION

Awareness
Key target audiences of adult men and teens who exercise showed increased awareness of connection between chocolate milk and refuel by anywhere from 12%-52% since program launch.

Engagement
•Webisode Views: YouTube Video Views: With 2 million+ views and counting (40% over our goal), viewers have watched an average of 61% of each BECOME ONE episode and during the IRONMAN World Championship week, video views increased 279% compared to the weeks prior.
•Engagement with got chocolate milk? digital channels:
oFacebook
-Likes: 181,541 (from 139,366) – 30% growth
-Cost per engagement across paid Facebook: $0.36
o68% lower (more efficient) than benchmark of $1.11
oTwitter:
-Followers: 6,063 (from 3,477) – 74% growth
-Mentions: 1,280; Interactions: 1,185
-Cost per engagement across paid Twitter: $0.99
o11% lower (more efficient) than benchmark of $1.11
-1.55% engagement rate across promoted Tweets
oBenchmark for engagement is 1-3%

Increase in Sales:

•Flavored milk sales data shows a significant increase since the campaign launched, helping to push flavored milk sales into the black for the first time in years.

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Provide a brief biography of the person or persons who lead the team that created and carried out the nominated communications campaign (up to 125 words):

Miranda Abney is the Marketing Director at MilkPEP and leads the BUILT WITH CHOCOLATE MILK “got chocolate milk?” campaign. She has been in her current role for 8 years, previously managing MilkPEP’s TEEN consumer campaign.
Prior to working at MilkPEP, Ms. Abney worked as a Marketing and Communications Manager for the Health and Wellness branch of the State of North Carolina.