DDB Canada’s Vancouver office has been named AOR for a new partnership involving the dairy associations of Canada’s four westernmost provinces.

DDB Canada won the account following a three-phase competitive process involving nine other agencies that started in April. The partnership, called Milk West, consists of Alberta Milk, the BC Dairy Association, the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba and SaskMilk.

“[DDB] was really able to clarify their strategic process and their strategic thinking. How they look at a problem and get to where they are,” says Katherine Loughlin, market development manager for Alberta Milk. “We had a very good feeling about them.”

The BC Dairy Association has worked with DDB Canada for the past 10 years. The associations from the prairie provinces had a 10-year agency relationship with Dare/Cossette, which did participate in the review.

Loughlin says western Canadian dairy producers work within a common market to sell their products so it made sense for the respective dairy associations to save money by using one agency. DDB will end its relationship with the BC Dairy Association this fall and “start fresh” with Milk West, according to Loughlin. The marketing efforts will focus on young mothers with children and teenagers.

New work from DDB and Milk West will likely hit the market in early 2013, and all mediums are under consideration. DDB and Milk West will also collaborate with the Dairy Farmers of Canada on strategies and campaigns that will run across English Canada.

Data from the Canadian Dairy Information Centre shows that milk consumption has been largely stagnant in Canada over the past decade.

“We are proud to have been named agency of record for Milk West,” says DDB Canada executive vice president and managing director Lance Saunders. “Turning milk consumption around is an interesting and unique challenge and we are honoured to have the opportunity to demonstrate we can do it.”

Photo: wattpublishing, Flickr Creative Commons