When Creativity Goes Too Far–Bad Example
March 26, 2008
Creativity is great, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes creativity overtakes the message and discredits it. In fact, too much creativity lowers the brand/associations reputation and credibility. This is the case with the most recent social media marketing endeavor by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners for the California Milk Processor Board’s Got Milk campaign. It creates a fictional rock star named “White Gold” who has enhanced rock star abilities because he drinks milk. His band mates are the “Calcium Twins” and he has other band members with names like Wholena, and etc. (corny, huh). The series is supposed to target teens showing them the benefits of milk. ”White Gold” has a MySpace page and a video on YouTube.
The series is ridiculous. It leaves a poor association of milk with the viewer. In fact, I doubt most viewers can even understand the benefits above the rock music. Using celebrities to originally market milk in a testimonial format was a great idea, but creating some guy with dirty long hair who is a rock star named “White Gold” to market milk is not. Even if the series receives attention, the message isn’t going to be seen or reflected in milk sales. If anything, teens will attach themselves to the ridiculousness of the rock star”White Gold” and forget about the benefits of drinking milk. It’ll become a joke and their message is certainly no joke.
P.S. Just because you are marketing to teens doesn’t mean you have to make a fool of yourselves and the brand.
