Bozell awaits decision on milk account By Jim Kirk with Alison Fahey and Cathy Taylo

CHICAGO--Bozell Worldwide may know in October if a potential $55-million advertising campaign from the Milk Industry Foundation

The MIF is preparing to hold a referendum in October for processors to approve the campaign, which would educate consumers on the benefits of fluid milk. Following the referendum a 20-member board will be formed which will have decisionmaking authority about the MIF’s activities.
Two years ago, Bozell/N.Y. came out a winner with the MIF account, but funding for the program has never materialized. The agency beat out both DDB Needham Chicago and Ketchum Advertising/Pittsburgh for what was then supposed to be a $110-million program through the MIF.
Since then, Bozell has been working with the MIF to help draft a new education program to take before Congress. President Bill Clinton signed the bill into law two weeks ago.
The new bill amends the original 1990 law, which authorized a processor-funded fluid milk consumer education program, by exempting processors selling less than 500,000 pounds of fluid milk per month. According to MIF officials, the exemption was important because it was believed small processors would vote against the program.
Many of the smaller processors already pay a 15 cents per hundred-weight assessment for producer promotion programs through the National Dairy Board and the American Dairy Association. Ironically, both of those groups decided earlier this year to consolidate their programs and are currently reviewing agencies for their $50-million fluid-milk program.
While there are no indications that Bozell’s position with the MIF is in jeopardy, the board will have the ultimate decision on the campaign and the agency. “It will be clearly up to the board to decide what they want to do,” MIF vp Bill Tinklepaugh said last week. “We will see how the board feels about the relationship (with Bozell). We don’t want to preempt anything.”
If the new program is passed, $55 million would be spent during a 1518 month trial program. Each processor would have to contribute 20 cents per month for every 100 pounds of milk produced. The assessments for the money would begin in January or February.
Copyright Adweek L.P. (1993)