The California Milk Processor Board is looking to the streetwear category to resuscitate its popular Got Milk? campaign.
It has partnered with Ronnie Fieg, the founder of Kith, on a new series of Milk Mustache advertisements that also promote Kith Treats, an ice cream and cereal concept that is located in each of Kith’s flagship stores in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Los Angeles and Miami along with a shop-in-shop at Hirshleifers in Manhasset, N.Y. Fieg also operates a stand-alone Kith Treats shop in Tokyo.
“Kith has a history of showing reverence to iconic brands. When the idea of a collaboration came up, we felt there was no better time to celebrate consumers’ heartfelt connection to milk with this nostalgic homage to the iconic Milk Mustache campaign,” said Steve James, executive director of the California Milk Processor Board. “When we saw the passion and enthusiasm from Ronnie and the Kith team, we just couldn’t resist. “
The list of major entities wanting to connect with the streetwear community continues to grow — KFC just announced a collaboration with Nigo’s line Human Made. But Fieg has managed to work with larger companies ranging from Coca-Cola to Versace, create his own narrative around the partnership, and keep Kith’s branding and ethos at the center.
“We approach our partnerships like a bucket list of passion projects. The big opportunities aren’t always the right ones, so it’s critical we stay grounded within our strategies,” Fieg said. “Key elements in this are picturing ourselves in the minds of the audience, exercising transparency and listening to our consumer feedback constantly.”
The campaign features Seth Rogen, Bobby Flay, Joan Smalls and Chrissy Teigen all donning the milk mustache, Kith apparel and holding Kith branded cups. In previous campaigns, the ad copy would detail how milk has helped the featured celebrity accomplish his or her goals. In the new co-branded campaign, the copy encourages viewers to take a break from working hard and indulge at Kith Treats.
The campaign, which will be posted on walls across Los Angeles, coincides with the introduction of Kith Treats’ new Latte de Leche drink, which is made from sweet cereal milk and includes a Kith Treats branded espresso lollipop, plus a capsule collection of Kith Treats and Got Milk? apparel.
Fieg said Kith Treats, which debuted in 2015 at Kith’s redesigned Brooklyn store, was initially supposed to be a hidden gem, but due to its popularity has since expanded and also includes an apparel program.
“At first I told myself that even if I took a loss on the first Kith Treats in Brooklyn, I’d be happy, because it was something I always wanted to do, and because it added to the store experience. I never pictured it would take off the way it has,” Fieg said. “Each flagship we’ve opened since then features one, and we’ve proven that we have our own customer coming in just for treats, beyond just Kith shoppers.”
Fieg, who recently worked with The Jetsons on a collection, said the Kith Treats menu and merchandise will continue to evolve.