Grassroots Dairy Promotion
Fun ideas to promote milk and dairy products
Looking for ways to promote milk and dairy products in your local community? Check out some of our Power of 3 promotion ideas and our fun "cow-tests." These will be sure to help spread the word about the good taste and health benefits of milk, cheese and yogurt.
Dairy farmers can order promotional materials for grassroots promotions. Contact us for more information.
'Power of 3' Promotions
- Bank on 3-A-Day™ of Dairy. Set up a milk, cheese and yogurt taste-testing booth at a local bank to teach patrons how to invest in their bone health with 3 servings of dairy every day.
- Dairy Trivia. Work with local radio and television stations to develop an on-air contest offering dairy-related prizes. For example, announcers can ask dairy trivia questions and have listeners or viewers call in to win T-shirts or free products.
- 3-A-Day of Dairy. Give out samples of single-serve flavored milk drinks, tasty cheeses and yummy yogurt treats at community events. Display banners with the 3-A-Day of Dairy logo.
- Meet and Greet. Have an ice cream social for the community or at your place of worship. Advertise it as a chance to meet the neighbors or for fellowship. At the social, provide information about dairy products and the local farming economy.
- 3-A-Day Display. Put together a 3-A-Day of Dairy exhibit featuring historical or modern items and display at a local mall, state fair or other event.
- We Salute You, Dairy Farmers. Work with the local newspaper on a special dairy salute section.
Cow-tests
Here are some fun contests to promote milk, cheese and yogurt.
New look of milk!
Encourage students to decorate single-serve plastic milk bottles. Use a theme, such as "design a container that reflects your innermost secret." Provide colored paper, markers, sequins, feathers and other decorations. Provide a fun prize to the big winner.
Mix it with Milk
Provide lowfat milk and mix-ins, like flavored syrups, cinnamon and mint extract, and challenge kids to mix up their most creative, best tasting, new milk of flavor.
Yowhat?
Gather fun add-ins like chocolate chips, sliced fruit, spices, granola and cereal and host a contest to see who can create the best new yogurt variety. Supply lowfat or fat-free plain or vanilla yogurt to get them started. Assemble a panel of judges and award grocery store gift cards as prizes.
Ahh! The power of Cheese!
Have an "Ahh! The power of (Grilled) Cheese" contest. People have to design recipes using at least two kinds of domestic cheeses to create the best tasting grilled cheese sandwich. Encourage unusual cheeses such as domestic Brie and Feta.
Milk Cap Carnival
Capitalize on the trend and the fun of festivals and carnivals by hosting one right in the cafeteria to promote the New Look of School Milk. The more caps students save, the more milk games they play for more chances to win! Students can show off their skills at a variety of booths that include:
- Ring toss around the milk bottles
- Knocking down the stacked milk bottles with a baseball
- Bowling with Bottles (milk bottles set up in 10-pin formation)
- Bingo with milk caps or a fast-paced game of milk cap checkers
- Milk Cap random drawing. Write your name on milk caps for a chance to win a new bike or other prize – unlimited entry!
Milk it!
Hold a milking contest at a community event, minor league baseball game, sports tournament, etc. Invite local celebrities such as the mayor or chief of police to see who can get the most milk in a given amount of time.
A moo-ving experience
Sponsor a story contest where children have to write about Ms. Moo, the dairy cow. Ask them to be as creative as possible, but limit the number of pages or words. Here's a story starter: "Ms. Moo had a secret. She and the other cows loved to dance whenever they heard music. One day in the milking parlor, the farmer turned on a rock-and-roll radio station." As prizes, offer free ice cream and milkshakes.
The great milk race!
Have people participate in a milk race where they have to walk/run with a cup of milk (plastic) balanced on their heads. Award prizes to the winners.
Construct the cow
Ask people to construct cows out of paper maché, milk cartons or anything they might have lying around the house. You can do different categories - the prettiest, the funniest, the coolest. Award dairy prizes or T-shirts.
Have a cheese sculpture contest. Open it to children and adults. Make sure you urge people to use hard cheeses such as Cheddar and Colby. You can have the entrants prepare the sculptures at home. Invite the community to view the cheese art before and after judging. Have town leaders or dairy farmers choose winners.