Spanish-language milk campaign goes mainstream

LOS ANGELES: In an effort to stem a decline in milk consumption

among California's teenagers, the long-lived "Got Milk?" campaign has

launched a Spanish-language ad and PR initiative featuring a mythical

Latina who constantly cries for the children she killed.

The new project centers on La Llorona, a legendary mother who drowned

her children in a river and now wanders the earth as a weepy ghost. The

story is used similarly to the "boogeyman" myth in American culture to

frighten errant children into good behavior.

The campaign features La Llorona grieving when her milk runs out, and

the ad airs on mainstream stations despite the " Tienes leche?"

tagline.

"It's generated some controversy," admitted Roxana Lissa, whose LA-based

RL Public Relations handles the account. "But overall, we're happy with

the positive results - and we've generated significant national coverage

for a California spot."

In addition to reaching out to California's growing demographic of young

Hispanic teenagers - Los Angeles is the largest Hispanic market in the

country, with more than seven million consumers and nearly 40% of

California teens being Hispanic - the startling campaign is creating a

new wave of media interest for "Got Milk?"

More than 50 stories on La Llorona have run since the TV ad debuted last

week in outlets such as CNN, the Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street

Journal, according to Lissa.

"We're still setting up interviews with broadcast and print outlets,"

she said. "What's remarkable is that this was achieved without using a

wire service to announce the spot or producing an SMT or EPK."

This article was first published on PR Week USA

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