Every body needs milk
In 1969, the dairy industry launched an advertising campaign with the slogan, "Every body needs milk."
In Oregon, the marketing team decided to conduct an experiment to find out whether showing more skin on a billboard would attract more attention. To do this, they created two different versions of an image. Both showed an attractive young woman lying down, feeding milk to a kitten. But in one version she was wearing slacks and a long-sleeved blouse. In the other, she was wearing a bikini.
It took me a lot of searching, and I wasn't able to find very good-quality copies, but I believe these are the two different billboard scenes:
So, did one billboard attract more attention than the other? The marketers surveyed 231 teenagers and concluded that there was "no indication that the amount of clothing made any difference in the awareness."
That was their conclusion, but I'm not sure I believe them, because the rest of the marketing campaign focused heavily on bikini-clad models. Two examples below.
They even made it possible to buy the bikini-themed images as a poster and towel. Which suggests the bikini billboards did attract more attention.
In Oregon, the marketing team decided to conduct an experiment to find out whether showing more skin on a billboard would attract more attention. To do this, they created two different versions of an image. Both showed an attractive young woman lying down, feeding milk to a kitten. But in one version she was wearing slacks and a long-sleeved blouse. In the other, she was wearing a bikini.
It took me a lot of searching, and I wasn't able to find very good-quality copies, but I believe these are the two different billboard scenes:
Source: Flickr
Minneapolis Star - Feb 20, 1970
So, did one billboard attract more attention than the other? The marketers surveyed 231 teenagers and concluded that there was "no indication that the amount of clothing made any difference in the awareness."
Salem Capital Journal - May 6, 1970
That was their conclusion, but I'm not sure I believe them, because the rest of the marketing campaign focused heavily on bikini-clad models. Two examples below.
They even made it possible to buy the bikini-themed images as a poster and towel. Which suggests the bikini billboards did attract more attention.
Oakland Tribune - May 24, 1970
The Capital Journal - June 3, 1970
Comments
Shocker: the account execs at the ad agency filed that teen study away and did what they wanted. Not to mention, they could hang out with this lady at the picture shoots. So lessee...A) lots of clothes, or... B) bikini? hmmmmm...
Posted by Virtual in Carnate on 08/22/19 at 12:36 PM
When I was in the third grade, back in the early 60s, my class too a field trip to a dairy near where I lived. I saw where milk came from. I have never drank milk since. Disgusting.
Posted by Curmudgeon on 08/22/19 at 04:22 PM
Anyone remember a commercial from the '60s or '70s of a bikini-clad teen model promoting Peter Max beach towels? One that she lay on had some large smiling lips strategically placed below her crotch. I vaguely recall this was an ad for gasoline. Or am I creating dirty old memories?
Posted by Phred22 on 08/22/19 at 08:19 PM
I don’t suppose we know how many posters and beach towels were sold? A quick search of eBay turned up nothing.
Posted by Brian on 08/22/19 at 10:08 PM
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Category: Advertising | 1970s | Billboards