
A Playful Recognition
While processors are becoming more and more inventive in getting their message out while staring down deep-pocketed competitors for share of stomach (see this month’s Marketing Roundtable), I want to take a minute to underscore the wonderful things dairy marketing groups are doing to help their fluid brethren keep our beloved industry afloat.
The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) has
announced that nominations for the new MilkPEP “Peppy” Awards
are being accepted until June 15. The Peppy Awards will honor outstanding
salespeople and dairy representatives who work directly with customers each
day and have successfully implemented MilkPEP programs through the use of
promotions, materials, research and other resources. Winners will be
announced at MilkPEP’s National Dairy Sales and Marketing Meeting in
Minneapolis, July 30 to August 1. Entries for the MilkPEP Awards will be
accepted in five categories — Schools, Retail, Grassroots Promotions,
Business Development and Processor/Producer Coordination.
As part of the renowned National Milk Mustache
“got milk?” campaign, MilkPEP develops national promotion and
marketing programs each year to assist processors increase milk sales and
generate awareness among consumers of the nutritional benefits of milk and
its role in supporting healthy weight.
“There are many processors across the country
who demonstrate the excitement and steadfast commitment to the program that
we are seeking to honor,” says Julie Buric, MilkPEP vice president of
marketing. “The MilkPEP Awards will enable us to recognize those
processors who have embraced the programs and used them successfully to
drive sales and increase revenues.”
Nominees must complete an entry form and submit a
brief summary of how MilkPEP programs and materials were utilized. In
addition, nominees are encouraged to remit photos, videos, point-of-sale
materials, displays and other supporting materials to demonstrate each
success story. Complete entry guidelines are available at www.milkpep.org.
To kick off the awards program, MilkPEP emphasized the
success of Mari Hicks, a sales representative with Kemps Dairy of
Rochester, Minn. Hicks was the featured Milk Mustache celebrity in a new
“got milk?” trade ad that debuted last month. “Mari Hicks
truly exemplifies the dedication and creativity that MilkPEP will recognize
with the new MilkPEP Awards,” Buric says.
Specifically, Hicks tapped into the Halloween 2006
promotion by utilizing point-of-sale displays and materials. To further
increase excitement in retail, Kemps created a new flavor appropriately
called “Cookies and Scream.”
Hicks explains: “I plan our promotions around
the MilkPEP promotion calendar each year. The Halloween promotion enabled
Kemps to offer a new seasonal program with incentives to our retailers. I
believe this differentiated the Kemps brand and strengthened our market
share.”
$OMN_arttitle="A Playful Recognition";?>
$OMN_artauthor="Pamela Accetta Smith";?>