The commercials, produced by the CMAB, begin airing nationally on May 24 and are an extension of the Real California Dairy Families documentary series originally produced by Deutsch LA in 2009 to give consumers a clearer understanding of where dairy products come from and showcase the people who produce them. The unscripted documentary videos have received hundreds of thousands of viewings since they debuted on the RealCaliforniaMilk.com site.
Each commercial features an actual dairy family telling their story, in their own words. “We want to help consumers put the face on the farmer responsible for the dairy foods they enjoy. There’s a family dairy farmer and personal story that comes with every glass of milk, piece of cheese, scoop of ice cream and pat of butter you purchase. These are fascinating people once you get to know them,” said Michael Freeman, the CMAB’s Vice President of Advertising.
The “Family Farms” commercials, along with the Real California Dairy Families documentary series, demonstrate the deep heritage and diversity behind the state’s dairy industry – an industry responsible for producing more than 41 billion pounds of milk and creating approximately 435,000 jobs each year.
“Dairy farming is a vital, important part of California that is made up of people, families and generations of history – not unfeeling corporations,” said Freeman. “In California, 99 percent of our dairies are family farms. This heritage comes through in the care they take with their animals and in preserving the family farm for future generations. You can sense the real, personal connection that is made with each family when you view these commercials.”
The commercials can be viewed online at ftp://CMAB:CMAB!@filetrans.ketchum.com, and will be available at RealCaliforniaMilk.com along with twenty Real California Dairy Families documentaries and three video companion pieces – on sustainability, cow comfort practices and dairy in California.
Dairy products made with California milk can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies that the products are made exclusively with milk produced on California dairy farms. California produces more butter, ice cream, yogurt and nonfat dry milk than any other state. The state is the second-largest producer of cheese, which is available nationally under the Real California Cheese seal.
Did you know?
- California leads the nation in total milk production. In 2008, California produced a record 41.2 billion pounds of milk – one-fifth of the nation’s total production.
- Currently, 40 percent of the total U.S. exports of dairy products are coming from California.
- California is ranked first in the U.S. in the production of total milk, butter, ice cream, yogurt, nonfat dry milk, and whey protein concentrate. California is second in cheese production. (CDFA)
About the California Milk Advisory Board
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s 1,700 dairy families. With headquarters in South San Francisco and Modesto, the CMAB is one of the largest commodity boards in the United States. The CMAB executes advertising, public relations, research and retail and foodservice promotional programs on behalf of California dairy products, including Real California Milk and Real California Cheese. For more information on California dairy products, visit www.RealCaliforniaMilk.com.
Source: California Milk Advisory Board