The National Dairy Council (NDC) has launched a new out-of-home billboard advertising campaign celebrating Irish dairy farmers and their grass-fed Irish cows working together to sustainably produce top-quality milk and dairy products.
The campaign highlights how in Ireland our green countryside is an incredible asset and provides us with a unique grass-based farming system. These, paired with the expertise and the commitment of individual farmers and their families, are vital ingredients in the success of Irish dairy – here at home and abroad.
While the positive credentials of Irish dairy are longstanding and plentiful, the gap between food origin and consumer is growing. At the same time, consumers are demanding natural, sustainably produced food – transparency, authenticity, taking responsibility for your health and your environmental impact.
The NDC recognises the opportunity to reconnect consumers with natural food production and showcase that in Ireland our unique grass-based system, coupled with our family farming system, is what really sets Ireland apart.
‘Important time to celebrate excellence in dairy farming’
Speaking about the campaign, Zoë Kavanagh, CEO of the NDC, said: “This is an important time to celebrate excellence in dairy farming.
“Our climate in Ireland makes us well suited to produce dairy sustainably. Irish dairy has one of the lowest carbon footprints internationally, primarily due to the unique, grass-fed, family-based Irish farming system which is extremely efficient and involves less intensive farming.
“The NDC believes in a future in which Irish dairy is recognised and trusted as a vital part of people’s diet and general health across the life stages, indispensable to Ireland’s social and economic well-being.”
The NDC, along with media agency OMD Ireland and PML, revealed the campaign showcasing dairy farming excellence in a national outdoor campaign this week. Giant images of Irish cows grazing freely on green pastures appeared on 47 outdoor billboards and across the country.
For the outdoor billboards, media agency OMD specifically looked for placements that would focus on high impact.
The billboard campaign features 48 sheets exclusively across the country.
Commenting on this approach, Kate McManus, account director of OMD Ireland, said: “48 sheets are one of the best formats for driving reach and impact within a campaign.
“In Ireland, 48 sheets are predominately located in roadside environments, delivering strong exposure. We have also included some high-profile premium backlits in Cork and Waterford as well as Dublin which, in general, are located on main arterial routes to motorways and will reach large traffic volumes.”
#LoveIrishDairy
Despite the single format type of placements, the process of developing the campaign was a complex one.
More than 9,000 photos taken on Irish dairy farms were reviewed to find the perfect images. The goal of the photography selection was to find simple shots that would convey Irish dairy farms authentically.
Speaking about this strategy, Jeanne Spillane, NDC marketing manager, commented: “Aside from looking less traditionally ad-like, the visual approach was also meant to convey the essence of our campaign.
“Quite simply, Irish cows grazing on such lush grassland produce milk of the highest quality. The billboards are not over produced, or subject to advertising wizardry – this campaign was built to champion the core of Irish dairy farming and the imagery in these billboards reflect that.”
To promote impact, various billboard sites were booked nationally, and a mix of photography and copy lines are used in the billboards.
“Green grass, family-owned farms, top quality milk”, stated across a billboard, aims to connect consumers with the model of dairy farming in Ireland, joining the dots between quality farming and quality food.
The farmer, the animals and the land; all work in harmony to produce quality milk.
Meanwhile, another billboard features the words “Passion. Dedication. Quality.” highlighting the desire, sacrifice and hard work by dairy farmers to produce the world’s best-quality milk.
The NDC continues to reconnect consumers with food origin with the powerful execution that simply states “The great taste of grass-fed dairy starts here”.
This campaign celebrates what is truly special about Ireland – our unique way of farming coupled with the passion our dairy farmers have to produce high-quality dairy products.
It is no surprise why people at home and abroad simply #LoveIrishDairy.
