Dairy on the Air: Building Trust in Dairy

The Undeniably Dairy campaign, now in its second year, is making strides in building consumer trust in dairy. In the most recent episode of Dairy on the Air, host and Midwest Dairy CEO Lucas Lentsch sits down with Beth Engelmann, chief marketing communications officer at Dairy Management, Inc. and Victor Zaborsky, vice president of marketing at Milk PEP, to discuss the industry’s collaborative efforts to tell the Undeniably Dairy story.

Undeniably Dairy highlights dairy as a locally and responsibly-produced nutrient rich food and aims to remind people of the many reasons why they love dairy. Engelmann shares how Undeniably Dairy targets conflicted health seekers—those who seek answers to their questions about dairy foods and the permission to enjoy them—through storytelling online, in videos, social media and podcasts. Given consumers are increasingly removed from agriculture, by helping them connect with dairy’s authentic farm-to-table story, Undeniably Dairy lifts consumer skepticism and grants them permission to enjoy dairy foods again.

Both Englemann and Zaborsky identify dairy farmers as the most compelling storytellers. It’s proven dairy farmers are a trusted source of information. Having them share more about their beliefs and farming practices goes a long way in rebuilding consumers’ relationships with dairy.

Zaborsky explains that collaborative efforts made by organizations like Milk PEP, which represents all milk brands, serve to leverage Undeniably Dairy messaging.  Milk PEP’s, “Milk. Love What’s Real.” campaign has helped to get “more eyes” on Undeniably Dairy messaging, further building trust in milk and dairy foods.

The conversation also highlights how metrics serve to prove the campaign’s success in both rallying the industry and increasing its reach with consumers. With more than 300 organizations and companies having engaged in the campaign, it has garnered more than 4 billion impressions. What’s more, consumers are more likely to engage with the content 2.5 times longer than the industry standard and show signs of feeling better about dairy foods afterward.

Dairy on the Air is a monthly podcast that features relevant conversations impacting the dairy community. Find all episodes online at MidwestDairy.com or on podcast platforms including iTunes, iHeartRadio, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify and more.