ROSEMONT, Ill. – The dairy checkoff is doubling down on one of the most critical windows of human development – the “First 1,000 Days” – with a multichannel strategy that positions dairy as essential for optimal brain growth and cognitive development from conception through a child’s second birthday.
The surround-sound campaign is designed to meet today’s parents where they are: in their social feeds, on trusted parenting platforms, through pediatrician offices, in WIC clinics and on digital search engines – all with content rooted in science, relevance and personal connections.
“The first 1,000 days set the foundation for a lifetime of health,” said Lindsay Datlow, senior vice president, nutrition affairs at the farmer-founded National Dairy Council (NDC). “Dairy foods like milk, cheese and yogurt provide 7 of the 14 nutrients identified by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as vital during this period. That’s not just a selling point – it’s a scientific fact that should guide infant feeding decisions.”
The initiative includes promotion across third-party media outlets and the checkoff’s consumer-facing USDairy.com site. From engaging TikTok videos and educational infographics to partnerships with trusted organizations, the effort focuses on building awareness, providing education, driving consideration and – ultimately – inspiring action.
“We aren’t just casting a wide net and hoping something sticks,” said Aris Georgiadis, senior vice president of marketing communications at Dairy Management Inc. (DMI). “We’re delivering tailored messages to parents through the platforms and people they already trust. That includes pediatricians, nutrition experts, parent influencers and organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics.”
A cornerstone of this activation is partnerships with BabyCenter and What to Expect, two of the most widely-used parenting platforms in the U.S. The partnerships include dairy-focused articles, social media content, in-app promotions and expert video content.
“For many new parents, BabyCenter and What to Expect are go-to sources during pregnancy and early parenthood,” Georgiadis added. “So working with them to tell dairy’s story – with the help of their physicians and dietitians – is a game-changer.”
The campaign also includes influencer marketing via the checkoff’s Dairy Dream Team, featuring parents who share real-life experiences introducing dairy to their children, creating an emotional, authentic connection with millennial and Gen Z moms and dads.
Other digital efforts are focused on Google Search, YouTube and display advertising, ensuring that when a parent searches for what to feed their baby or toddler, dairy shows up as a top, trusted solution.
While consumer-facing content is a major focus, NDC is using this opportunity to continue advancing dairy’s role in early childhood nutrition, particularly in pediatric, healthcare and WIC circles.
NDC-led activations include:
- New education modules in the WIC Shopper and WIC Smart apps, which serve low-income families in more than 36 states
- A pediatric-focused nutrition speaker’s kit developed in partnership with AAP, designed to help pediatricians educate peers on early childhood nutrition
There also have been articles such as Eating for baby’s brain development and Milk allergy and lactose intolerance in pregnancy developed and shared by Mayo Clinic, in collaboration with the checkoff.
Datlow said parents, especially those in WIC, want actionable, digestible advice they can trust.
“We’ve worked hard to meet that need by developing snackable, science-backed resources and making them easy to access through their pediatrician or mobile app,” she said.
DMI has made the campaign’s toolkit available to state and regional checkoff teams, the U.S. Dairy Export Council, MilkPEP, as well as other dairy organizations and cooperatives to further expand the effort across the country.
“One of our biggest goals is to equip our partners to carry this message through their own channels,” Georgiadis said. “The more voices amplifying this effort, the greater the impact and the better we maximize the checkoff investment.”
For more information about how the dairy checkoff is driving sales and building trust, visit www.dairycheckoff.com.
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About Dairy Management Inc.
Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI) is funded by more than 24,000 dairy farmers and dairy importers. DMI manages the national checkoff program and collaborates with state and regional checkoff teams across the United States to boost domestic and global dairy sales through research, education and marketing initiatives. The checkoff also is focused on fostering consumer trust in dairy products and the farm families behind them. DMI manages National Dairy Council and founded the U.S. Dairy Export Council, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, Newtrient and GENYOUth.
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