SAN CLEMENTE, CA — Teens have seen the world of Mootopia on television. They've been introduced to a land where milk flows profusely through streams and waterfalls and where its citizens, the Mootopians, are exceptionally fine physical specimens, with strong muscles and teeth, and healthy, shiny hair — all because of milk. For back-to-school, Mootopia is coming to more than 600 high schools as the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB), the creator of GOT MILK?, donates more than 750,000 Mootopia-themed book covers. This is the third donation of its kind from the CMPB as a result of positive responses from educators in California.
"These book covers are very much needed," says Kathleen Sheppard, teacher and librarian at William Howard Taft High School in Los Angeles. "Especially during these tough economic times and state budget cuts, we are doing all that we can to protect all of our supplies and to preserve them for many years to come."
The book covers highlight this year's CMPB advertising campaign, which consists of three, 30-second TV spots entitled "Gorgeous Hair," "Equal Strength," and "Dentist." The campaign has the trademark "got milk?" sense of humor to tout the health-and-beauty qualities associated with drinking milk.
"The message goes back-to-basics," says Helen Murdoch, librarian at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara. "Teens today are bombarded with messages on how to look their best and how they have to have the right clothes and the right products to attain it. GOT MILK? is educating teens that with proper nutrition through foods like milk, beauty can come from the inside out."
High school students can also experience the world of Mootopia by visiting its online page www.visitmootopia.com and its Facebook page www.facebook.com/gotmilk. Teens can even play the game "Raise a Mootopian" where users can adopt their own Mootopian avatars by answering personality questions. Each avatar starts out as a toddler and grows up to become an adult, based on how engaged the user is in playing the game and of course, drinking milk.
"Engagement is key, especially when reaching out to teens," says CMPB Executive Director Steve James. "They're always online, they're curious and they want to be educated. The online game is a fun way to introduce them to the beauty benefits of drinking milk."
The National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development report the teenage years are the most critical time for bone growth so adolescents need to take in as much calcium as possible. The American Aca demy of Pediatrics recommends teenagers drink at least three, eight-ounce cups of low fat or skim milk daily for optimum bone health. Teens must also be careful to avoid caffeinated drinks that could diminish calcium levels in their bodies.
About the CMPB
The California Milk Processor Board was established in 1993 to make milk more competitive and increase milk consumption in California. Awareness of GOT MILK? is over 90% nationally and it is considered one of the most important and successful campaigns in history. GOT MILK? is a federally registered trademark that has been licensed by the national dairy boards since 1995. The CMPB's Spanish-language campaign began in 1994 using the tagline "Familia, Amor y Leche" (Family, Love and Milk). The TOMA LECHE (Drink Milk) campaign replaced it in 2006, following a growing trend in Hispanic food advertising that uses wit and humor to reach audiences. GOT MILK? gifts and recipes can be viewed at www.gotmilk.com and www.tomaleche.com. The CMPB is funded by all California milk processors and administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Source: The California Milk Processor Board