NBA’s Klay Thompson is MilkPEP’s chocolate milk warrior

Thompson has an 'authentic' relationship with chocolate milk, having drunk it since childhood.

Klay Thompson of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors is the new face of the Built With Chocolate Milk campaign by the Milk Processor Education Program, The checkoff program, better known as MilkPEP, made the announcement today.

Over the next two years, Thompson will appear in television ads, print ads and online content. Additional content has been created with CBS Sports, Miranda Abney told Dairy Foods. Abney is MilkPEP’s marketing director for the chocolate milk program.

The ads and online content will be in heavy rotation during the NBA playoffs, which begins in April. The Golden State Warriors were in the finals last year, losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers four games to three.

Thompson is a 6-foot, 7-inch tall shooting guard who was drafted in 2011 by the Warriors in the first round. MilkPEP selected Thompson because he has an “authentic” relationship with chocolate milk, having drunk it since childhood, Abney said.

In an interview with Dairy Foods, Abney said Thompson spent 10 hours with MilkPEP and its ad agency as they shot photos and filmed commercials on a playground in San Francisco. The basketball player made shot after shot, even in the dark after the lights were turned off, Abney said. Watch a 15-second spot here.

Once considered a beverage for school children (it remains popular with that age group) chocolate milk has taken on a new life and found a new "drinking occasion" as a post-workout recovery beverage. Sales of chocolate milk have increased for 24 consecutive months, Abney said. Sales rose 9% in 2015 compared to the previous year and 7% in 2016. In January, sales rose 2%, she said.

MilkPEP also supports USA Swimming, the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming in the United States. In that relationship, chocolate milk has been dubbed the "Official Recovery Beverage of USA Swimming."