MORE COWBELL!
BC Dairy Association Explores Connection between Music and Milk Production
British Columbians to Compose Songs for Dairy Cows in New Online Challenge
The BC Dairy Association invites British Columbians to try their hand at composing original music for a burgeoning new audience of aficionados: milk producing dairy cows.
Developed by DDB Canada and its integrated groups Tribal DDB Vancouver, DDB Public Relations and OMD Vancouver, the online initiative entitled Music Makes More Milk takes as its basic premise a common observation among dairy farmers that cows respond positively to music.
“Over time, BC dairy farmers get to know their cows well. They understand their behaviour, their moods, their likes and dislikes,” says Dave Eto, executive director, BC Dairy Association. “One thing they’ve come to learn is that happy cows produce more milk.”
Music Makes More Milk contestants will use an online music composition tool to create original songs to play for the cows. The tunes of semi-finalist contestants - determined through a public voting system - will have their compositions played directly to cows on a BC dairy farm. Videos of the cows reacting to each shortlisted song will be shared online on November 7, 2012. Ultimately, it is the cows that will serve as the final judges of the contest, identifying an overall winner based on the highest milk production achieved while listening to the five finalists’ compositions. Music-related prizes will be awarded to 15 semi-finalist and five finalists, and the winning contestant will also receive a trip for four to the 55th Annual Grammy™ Awards in Los Angeles.
“You don’t need to be an accomplished composer to participate. The music composition tool was developed for all ages and music skillsets,” explains Dean Lee, creative director, DDB Canada. “As an added incentive to purchase and drink more milk, contestants can enter UPC codes on milk products to unlock additional sound effects and instruments to include in their composition.”
The online initiative is being supported with media relations, social media cultivation and a paid-media program with Global TV BC and Slice.ca.
The six-week Music Makes More Milk contest launches to the public on Wednesday, October 10th, 2012 and the final winner will be announced on Monday, November 26th, 2012. Everyone is welcome to submit a tune at www.musicmakesmoremilk.com, but only British Columbians may enter the contest...The rest of Canada is not happy about that!