A2O-Lancastar Finning, Saturday, April 11, 1998
Dairy, Council Exceeds Goals Marketing Milk Nutrition
(Continued from Pago Al)
Philadelphia and Washington D.C.
offices and the news that the Phi
ladelphia office will need to relo
cate since the building has been
sold.
The consolidation will enable
the Council to become move effec
tive and cost-cfficcnt without sac
rificing the high quality nutritional
materials produced for school stu
dents, health and education profes
sionals, school food services, and
individuals. The site of the new
office has not been determined.
“We will still work with the
same people, but the consolidation
allows us to expand services,”
Stanton said.
One of Dairy Council’s most
complex projects was the “family
foodzone,” nutritional website to
promote good eating habits. The
Philadelphia office joined with 11
other Dairy Council offices in
other states to share the expenses
and provide a low-cost, high qual
ity website. Since its release on
Jan. 1, die website has already
received six national awards.
Some of the other nutrition edu
cation work that Dairy Council
continues to promote is done with
the PAWS Farm, Garden State
Discovery Museum, Philadelphia
Zoo, health professionals, educa
tors, and the school breakfast
program.
Tom Gallagher, chief executive
officer for Dairy Management,
spoke on how national issues
affect the regional and local
organizations.
The mergers of Dairy Manage
ment Inc. (DMI), Milk Pep, and die
U.S. Dairy Export Council bring
national and local efforts to work
hand-in-hand in a more unified
fashion to deliver the milk mes
sage to consumers.
Gallagher praised the efforts erf
the U.S. Dairy Export Council for
its successful work. “Four years
ago, it received $700,000 from the
government Now government
funding has increased to S2.S mil
lion because the government says
the council has really got its act
together and wants to support it”
DMl’s mission is to increase
demand for dairy products, to have
Pennsylvania Dairy Piincsss Nichols Msabon, left, and
New Jersey State Alternate Meredith Quick greet visitors at
Dairy Council’s 78th annual meeting, which was held at
Somerton Springs, Feastervliie.
an industry-wide plan, a market
driven business plan, invest
resources in strategic manner, and
offer the best possible economical
advantage to dairy farmers.
The role of the checkoff is to
increase demand, not merely
promote. Gallagher said. He
believes the effectiveness of the
checkoff is evident by noting that
in 1983, there was a large surplus
of milk and cheese. By 1996, there
was no longer a surplus despite
production being up 10. S percent
and the population only rising 13. S
percent
DMI and MiIkPEP have agreed
to work together instead of having
separate programs. This will
enable $l9O million to be used for
local and national advertising.
Gallagher predicts that advertising
monies will be supplemented by
companies such as Dean Foods
pushing brand-name products such
as its highly successful milk drink
called Chug.
Market studies have determined
that 6-11 years old should be the
most targeted group for milk
promotion. They drink more milk
at this age but milk consumption
drops dramatically during the teen
years when their bodies actually
need more milk. Education during
these form ulativc years should
help them realize the importance
of maintaining milk consumption
when they are teens.
Studies also show that where the
mother in the household believes
in the importance of milk in the
daily diet, an average of 35 gallons
of milk are consumed in the house
holds annually but drops as low as
seven in households where
mothers are not supportive of lads
drinking milk.
Gallagher praised Dairy Coun
cil for its highly successful nutri
tion education program. Distribut
ing 20,000 classroom kits far
exceeds its formerly set goal.
“Dairy Council here always
exceeded goals for state and reg
ional impact compared to other
states,” Gallagher said. He praised
the local Council for spearheading
recommendations that the daily
calcium consumption for
9-18-year-olds be increased
because the previous recommen
dations did not provide for optimal
bone growth and health. The
recommended serving of milk for
9-18 years of age is 4 compared to
the previous 3 servings.
The nutrition advantage in milk
compared to soft drinks must be
our focus, Gallagher said of the
soft drink industry, which is con
sidered to be milk’s most fierce
competitor.
Joan Horbiak, president of the
Health and Nutrition Network,
spoke on marketing your message.
Communication skills are mere
important than technical skills and
intelligence when it comes to
achieving success, she said.
Horbiak challenged the audi
ence not to be afraid of the media.
“You can reach 500,000 people in
five minutes when you go on tele
vision, and it’s free,” Horbiak said
of many stations that allow short
food segments, especially those
related to seasonal holidays.
She praised Althea Zanecosky
of Dairy Council who appears reg
ularly on television. Several spots
from the segments were shown to
the audience. Of Zanescosky’s
work, Horbiak said, “I never saw a
mote sophisticated program with
the media.”
When talking with the media,
Horbiak said. “Stand up. Studies
show that you are mote persuasive
when standing than sitting.”
She also said, “Remember, vis
uals are the most powerful way to
communicate. You must have a
prop but hold it to the side, not
directly in front of you.”
“When you communicate too
many things, you communicate
nothing,” Horbiak said. “Keep it
simple. You lose your marketing
campaign if it is not simple and a
consistent message. The message
must be clear and repetitive.”
A Yale University study reve
aled that the 12 most persuasive
words in the English language
include the following: you. money,
save, new, easy, results, guarantee,
safety, love, discovery, proven,
and health.
Horbiak challenged the audi
ence to use those words often.
Some words are mote effective
Speakers tor Dairy Council’s annual meeting Include, from left, Joan Hoiblak, presi
dent of Health and Nutrition Network; Bob Winner, Dairy Council president; Tom Gal
lagher, CEO for Dairy Management Inc., and Jan Stanton, Dairy Council executive
director.
Curtis Acres, board member, receives recognition for 16
years of service.
than others. For example, use the
word “fix” instead of “repair.”
Repair has the connodon of an
existing problem, but fix promotes
the idea that the problem is solved.
The ttord “contract” is often scary
to people. It is better to say “a letter
of agreement,” when doing
business.
Horbiak used a variety of inter
action techniques with the audi
ence to show the importance of
creating positive first impressions
so necessary in getting the correct
message across.
She taught the audience the
proper way to offer a handshake
“Be the first to stretch out your
hand and hold onto their hand
shake a bit longer than is comfort
able. This portrays die message
that you are comfortable and sec
ure in who you are.”
Despite effectively communi
cating, Horbiak acknowlcged that
statistics show that people forget
yu percent ot wnat you sty on,
week after a presentation. That’s"
why it’s so important to be repeti
tive in your message.
Dairy Council presented two
Friend of Nutrition Education
awards. Cindy Dawso Van Draff,
school food service professional,
was recognized for a project in col
laboration with the Dairy Council
to establish healthy eating habits in
Montgomery County second
grade students. Lou Ann Good of
Lancaster Farming received the
award for her articles focusing on
nutrition education that reach
children and adults.