There are things that would seem to transcend the need for advertising: sunshine, friendship, happiness … cheese. Because cheese is the best, right? If you don't enjoy cheese, there's probably something wrong with you. (And don't use that "lactose intolerant" excuse—you'd be eating cheese if you could.) But it turns out certain places want you to eat only their cheese (or ice cream, yogurt, milk, etc.), and they're willing to shell out for the win.
The latest installment in the so-called "dairy wars" comes from California, which has brought back its famous talking cows from Deutsch LA for a new campaign pushing the Real California Milk and Real California Cheese brands. Titled "Friends," the first new 30-second spot—directed by Fred Savage of Wonder Years fame—uses a loquacious cow to implore consumers to make California milk and cheese a part of their family.
It starts with a teen girl, who is busy eating her after-school snack of cheese and chocolate milk, and her mom, who is busy cutting up even more cheese—my god, these people love their lactose. When Mrs. Cheese asks about her daughter's rotating cast of love interests, the family's resident California cow (who must be worked to death, considering the amount of dairy this household consumes) spits out a tale of John and Jamie and "biffs" and boys and "supe-shady" goings-on. The tagline: "Make us part of your family."
Although it doesn't make much of a point about why California dairy products are better than all others, it's a pretty cute spot—because, you know, everyone loves a talking animal (the talking California cows have been around for more than a decade), and tween girls are annoying. Most important, it will really, really make you want cheese, if you're at all human. Your move, Wisconsin.
CREDITS
Client: California Milk Advisory Board
Vice President, Advertising: Michael Freeman
Agency: Deutsch LA
Chief Creative Officer: Mark Hunter
Group Creative Director: Karen Costello
Creative Director: Jeff Bossin
Creative Director: Scott Hidinger
Senior Copywriter: Melissa Langston-Wood
Senior Art Director: Sara Oakley
Director of Integrated Production: Vic Palumbo
Director of Broadcast Production: Victoria Guenier
Senior Producer: Dave Stephenson
Production Company: Uber Content
Director: Fred Savage
Partners, Executive Producers: Phyllis Koenig, Preston Lee
Executive Producer: Steve Wi
Producer: Mark Hall
Editorial Company: Cutters
Editor: Adam Parker
Assistant Editor: Kristin Gerhart
Producer: Sasha Grubor
Post: Company 3
Colorist: Mike Pethel
Visual Effects: Method
Visual Effects Supervisor: Gil Baron
Executive Producers: Robert Owens, Stephanie Gilgar
Producer: Pip Malone
Coordinator: Anastasia Von Rahl
2-D Supervisor, Nuke Artist: Chris Bankoff
Lead Flame Artist: Noah Caddis
Flame Artist: Matt Welch
Nuke Artist: Carlos Morales
Paint Artist: Pam Gonzales
3-D Lead: Calin Casian
Model: Scott Brust
Rigging: Marc Berrouet
Animation: Joon Lee, Aaron Schultz, James Parris
Lighting: Calin Casian, James Kirk
Texture: Josh Frontino, Frida Sahono-Jozwik
Tracking: Fabio Zapata, Lauren Van Houten, Tom Stanton, Luis Rodriguez, Juan Colon, Alex Tirasongkran
Roto: Kenneth Lui
Audio Post: Lime Studios
Mixer: Mark Meyuhas
Assistant Mixer: Matt Miller
Executive Producer: Jessica Locke
Additional Deutsch Credits:
Account Management Credits:
CEO: Mike Sheldon
Integrated Account Director: Adam Thomason
Integrated Account Executive: Jamie Friedman
Media Credits:
Schoenfeld & Partners
Account Planners:
Chief Strategic Officer: Jeffrey Blish
Traffic, Business Affairs:
Director of Integrated Business Affairs: Abilino Guillermo
Senior Business Affairs Manager: Ken Rongey
Director or Broadcast Traffic: Carie Bonillo
Broadcast Traffic Manager: Cybil Weigel