Vinnie Jones is the new face of ‘make mine Milk’
Hollywood star fronts the campaign’s penultimate burst of advertising.
Hollywood star fronts the campaign’s penultimate burst of advertising
Hollywood hardman Vinnie Jones has been unveiled as the latest celebrity to front the ‘make mine Milk’ campaign.
The ex-international footballer, now just as famous for his no-nonsense appearances on the big screen, will be seen on the sides of thousands of buses from tomorrow under the headline ‘you know what’s good for you’. The adverts, which also appear in press and online, aim to show the British public the health benefits of consuming low fat milk.
With funding for the campaign set to come to an end in October 2012 and only one further burst of advertising planned for September, Jones could well be the penultimate star to sport the now-famous milk moustache.
Sandy Wilkie, Chairman of the Milk Marketing Forum, said: “Vinnie is the perfect ambassador for low fat milk – he’s fit, healthy and is a national treasure. And just like the ‘white stuff’, Vinnie has been around for a few years, but continues to re-invent himself and keep us all smiling.
“As the campaign funding looks set to come to an end in a few months’ time, we are looking to have as big an impact as possible with our last two planned bursts of activity. Vinnie has been a great sport and has given us lots of fantastic social media content that will really get people talking.”
Vinnie’s involvement in the ‘make mine Milk’ campaign sees him front a series of online videos as the internet’s most unlikely agony uncle. Covering topics such as dealing with relationship break-ups and healthy eating, ‘Vinnie’s Advice Corner’ is hosted on the ‘make mine Milk’ Facebook page, along with the ‘Vinnie’s Weekender’ competition to win a VIP break for two.
Vinnie – who has starred in blockbuster films such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Gone In 60 Seconds – has also revealed that milk is a key part of his daily diet.
He said: “As a footballer I used to look after myself, but even since I retired from professional sport, I’ve always tried to stay in shape. Particularly if I’m in training for a film, I need to stay lean and not eat any crap – that’s why I love milk so much – it tastes great and it’s good for you. I eat a lot of cereal and drink a lot of tea, though it’s hard to find a decent cuppa in LA.”
He is the latest in a long-line of big stars to promote the health benefits of low fat milk, following in the footsteps of – among others – reformed wildchild Kelly Osbourne, X Factor judge Kelly Rowland, Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, F1 driver Jenson Button, supermodel Elle Macpherson, pop princess Pixie Lott and Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay.
The campaign – which includes advertising, PR, digital, social media and retail activity – has proved a big success since it launched in April 2010, and has celebrated many important milestones. Recent highlights include:
- A 1.2% volume sales increase between 2010 and 2011*
- A 3% increase in the amount of milk consumed by teenage girls (a key audience for the campaign) between 2010 and 2011**
- Over 500 dairy farmers signing up to promote the campaign on their farms and in their farm shops, with Team Milk banners and posters
The campaign was created by the Milk Marketing Forum, which is a consortium of leading dairy companies comprised of Arla Foods UK, Dairy Crest Limited, First Milk, Milk Link and Robert Wiseman Dairies, with support provided by Dairy UK and The Dairy Council. Of the £7.5 million total funding, which comes to an end in October 2012, a third comes from the European Union.
For news on the ‘make mine Milk’ campaign, visit the campaign website www.makemineMilk.co.uk. Alternatively, fans of the campaign can keep up to date by following @makemineMilk on Twitter, joining the vibrant Facebook community, www.facebook.com/makemineMilk, or visiting the YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/makemineMilkuk.
