The DFA Created an Imaginary Drink To Attract Millennials Back To Dairy Milk

The Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) are fighting back against the plant-based milk industry with a new marketing campaign that specifically targets millennials. The organization created an imaginary super drink that they call “Mülü,” which is high in protein, vitamins and minerals and then they launched a full-scale marketing campaign for it online and on the streets. However, the product that they were marketing the entire time was a bottle of cow’s milk with millennial-targeted packaging.

On the Mülü website, the DFA lists all the nutritional benefits of milk such as 10 grams of protein per serving, no added sugars and more calcium than seven cups of broccoli. In addition to Mülü’s sleek, futuristic packaging, the DFA also describes the product as a perfect addition to millennial lifestyles. The product was referred to as the perfect drink for “late-night coding sessions,” “prepping for a big product launch,” “the calm before a six-hour road trip with toddler twins” and “lazy Sunday movie marathons.” The organization also created social media pages for their imaginary Mülü product with accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, along with the hashtag #DrinkMulu. In addition, they teased the general public with online videos, social media teasers and billboards prior to the launch on June 1, which was also World Milk Day.

According to the DFA, this marketing stunt was done to catch the eyes of consumers who are constantly looking for the next big superfood/super drink. The underlying message to their campaign is that milk is the original super drink with all its nutritional properties.

“Milk has been around for thousands of years, and during that time, the new and flashy has overshadowed what we know to be true,” said Monica Massey, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff at Dairy Farmers of America. “Research shows milk provides nutrition that is an important part of a balanced diet that no other beverage can deliver. Dairy has the power to nourish the body, bring joy to your day and enhance the way we experience food.”

This extensive marketing campaign comes as the dairy industry continues to experience decreasing sales. According to Mintel research, the US dairy industry will see a continuous decline in sales over the years, which will result in a value of $15.9 billion by 2020, which is an 11 percent drop from 2015. Plant-based dairy, on the other hand, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.7 percent and reach a value of $14.36 billion by 2022.

It is unclear as to whether or not this campaign will work. Although the DFA has incorporated every millennial-targeted marketing technique from packaging to social media engagement, their online engagements have not been as impressive. The organization was only able to accumulate 107 followers on Instagram with their highest rated post having only 32 likes. Their Twitter engagements seem to have primarily come from sponsored influencers or DFA representatives. However, on Facebook, the company seems to be getting quite a few engagements on their promotional video.