BodybyMilk.com just went live with a new web site geared toward teens. The launch is part of MilkPEP’s ‘Body by Milk’ school program effort to welcome students back to school. The program is built around a health message:
The “Body by Milk” program shares a powerful health message that resonates with teens. Specifically the message is: “Studies suggest that drinking three glasses of lowfat or fat-free milk each day gives teen bodies the nutrients they need, like protein to build muscle. Replacing sugary soft drinks with milk, eating right and being active can help teens stay healthy, lean and looking their best.” This message, in its entirety, will be included on “Body by Milk” materials and featured prominently on the website.
The web site is super impressive, really demonstrating all the involvement devices that are crucial to great web sites today — especially those targeted for teens. Of course, they have a lot to work with since they are able to use many of the stars who participate in the ‘Got Milk’ campaign.
You can upload your own picture and make an image of yourself with a milk moustache, get all kinds of information and, perhaps most compelling, can use bar codes or expiration dates from milk to ‘buy’ stuff on the site.
The process is a little cumbersome for today’s digital generation: you have to save your bar codes or expiration dates and mail them via certified snail mail. Still, it is a start, will get some people involved and, who knows, may even motivate some milk purchases.
My first thought was to mention the site to Elizabeth Pivonka, President of the Produce For Better Health Foundation. As they roll out their new marketing, they will want to look at this web site for teens. In fact every company with a consumer web site that wants to attract teens should look at it.
Which leads to another thought: Right now we have the 5-a-Day program in produce, which will soon be renamed More Matters. The core dairy program is called Milk Matters, and based on the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, we will soon have a variety of other foods declaring that they, too, matter.
The problem, of course, is that people don’t eat commodities, they eat meals and snacks. Perhaps the health message would be more effective if these groups coordinated their efforts into a ‘Healthy Eating Matters’ program.
