Milk and Gen Z: Empowering healthy choices

Milk has been a staple in our diets for generations, but today, it faces challenges from new brands and the spread of misinformation, especially on social media. Gen Z in particular are exposed to a lot of conflicting information. Our new Milk Every Moment campaign will correct myths and provide factual information about British milk to this younger audience.

Gen Z is at a pivotal stage in their lives, forming habits and making independent choices as they move away from their family homes.

With a strong emphasis on fitness and healthy living, they are particularly concerned about the health benefits of their food. Positioning British milk as part of this health-conscious lifestyle is crucial.

Our marketing strategy needs to resonate with their preferences and the ways they seek information, especially through social media.

If you use Instagram, you might have seen posts about the benefits of milk from sports stars like Erling Haaland and Joe Marler.

Last year, we partnered with former Lioness Anita Asante for the successful Eat Like a Lioness campaign during the Women’s World Cup, which showed us the impact of having these sporting advocates for British dairy.

Collaborating with British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) is a great strategic fit for us, further building the association between British milk and the role it can play in an active lifestyle. 

To ensure our approach is effective, we conducted a pilot programme with BUCS at the start of this year.

This initiative aimed to understand our audience better, test how our messages land, and determine the best ways to communicate with them.

BUCS has been instrumental in this process, providing valuable insights into its audience.

The pilot's outcomes have equipped us with a wealth of knowledge that we can use to reach the next generation more effectively.

We're thrilled to announce that, following the success of our pilot, the Milk Every Moment campaign has expanded into a full-scale partnership with BUCS, which launched on 8 July.

Working with the BUCS team has been a fantastic experience, and we are excited to continue this collaboration.

The first year of this partnership will be filled with various activities to engage Gen Z and build positive associations between British milk, its health benefits and sporting performance.

We'll maintain a steady stream of social media activity, featuring key student athletes, such as rugby team captains, showcasing how they incorporate milk into their daily routines and emphasising the nutritional benefits of milk.

Our campaign will be visible across multiple BUCS communication channels, including newsletters, pre-event information and the BUCS app.

These platforms are where students source information for their competitions, making them ideal for keeping milk at the top of their minds.

We'll also work closely with student ambassadors, who will create social content and be present at BUCS events to promote the Milk Every Moment campaign.

This peer-to-peer influencing is crucial for reaching this audience effectively, ensuring our messages are fun, engaging and impactful.

One of the most exciting aspects of our partnership is renaming the BUCS Super Rugby Cup to the Milk Cup.

This prestigious competition involves the highest level of men's and women's university rugby union teams, competing throughout the year to be crowned the Milk Cup champions.

We'll support these teams with various activities and keep milk at the forefront of their minds up until the finals next spring.

We're truly excited about this partnership and look forward to a year of promoting the benefits that the nutrients in British milk provide to the next generation through innovative and engaging initiatives.