Shaking my head today Murray Goulburn. Whose bright idea was this?

Fascinated by this story about the background behind what has to be one of the most poorly timed bizarre advertising campaign ever from Murray Goulburn (MG)

Via Mumbrella

Devondale rivals presented as fools in suits in new fresh milk push

Devondale takes aim at its corporate competitors as it makes its first foray into the fresh milk sector, with its latest campaign depicting its rivals as fools in suits.

The campaign ‘Takeover’, created by DDB Melbourne,  highlights Devondale as a farmer-owned business through a portrayal of how ‘corporate’ types operate a dairy. The ads show men in suits struggle to herd cattle with a mercedes and then milk them. It ends with the tagline “Some businesses have no business making your milk”.

Firstly lets look at poor timing. Never before has it been so imperative that MG be on good terms with their fellow processors as according to the Australian Financial Review (AFR) MG’s Sydney factory that will process NSW dairy farmers milk to fill their contract for Coles stores is

at least a month late and $30 million over budget

And even more catastrophic (according to AFR )

is that MG’s inability  to supply milk is leaving Coles scrambling to find milk.

Can you imagine the penalties in the Coles/MG contract for MG failing to meet the milk supply deadline. Scary enough to ensure that MG would have moved heaven and earth to find another milk processor to supply Coles with the shortfall and get them out of that highly embarrassing money gobbling disaster

Secondly lets look at bizarre. Surely bizarre doesn’t get any stranger than this? You need some-one to rescue you from a potential disaster whilst at the same time publicly and at great expense you are suggesting they are fools

Lets not forget just last week MG’s Managing Director Gary Helou ( see my previous post here ) was quoted in the Australian as saying

We (MG) are not farmers……..

According to the advertising agency

The campaign marks the brand entering the fresh milk sector after largely operating in the long-life milk sector for a number of years.

 

Well MG’s foray into the fresh milk market has certainly arrived with a whimper or should that be a snigger rather than a bang as far as ability to meet supply targets and deliver product to store. Would it be too cheeky of me to suggest it may just be the MG management team who are starring in their own adds. Yes far too cheeky but whatever way you look at it these adds are just poor taste whatever the background. No wonder the comments option has been disabled on Youtube???

Here is the portfolio for you to make up your own mind

This is what Charlotte from the UK says and I couldn’t agree more

Poorly thought out all round. This advert could be seen by those who do not know the history and its intention to mock its competitors as just a dig at the city people who buy their products. When everyone in the industry acknowledges the need to promote a positive images of agriculture and help to ease the apparent disconnect between consumers and how their food is produced, this appears to be doing the complete opposite with the farmer effectively shutting the gate on anyone that wears a suit to make a living.

What do you think?

Post Script: September 2014 Update.  Here is what the Advertising Standards Watchdog thinks. Visit here