got milk? Becomes Work of Art
One of America’s longest running, and most beloved, advertising campaigns is to become an exhibition at Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts. A cultural museum and educational center located in Napa Valley, California, Copia will feature "got milk?" from January 21 through May 30, 2005.
While most advertising is regarded as "disposable," usually lasting a year or less, got milk? has endured for more than a decade since its birth in 1993. It’s been licensed nationally, spawned hundreds of rip-offs and become part of the American vernacular. With the opening of the Copia exhibit later this month, got milk? is elevated beyond the advertising world into the realm of art, reaching a stature never before achieved by an advertising campaign.
"got milk? embodies many of the qualities associated with contemporary art: improvisation, humor and a timelessness that appeals to people of all ages," says Richard Koshalek, President, Art Center College of Design, and previous Director and former Chief Curator of LA’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).
The exhibition, which spans nearly 12 years, was created from the archives of the California Milk Processor Board and their San Francisco-based ad agency, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. The exhibit highlights how got milk? was transformed from a regional ad campaign to a national icon through TV commercials, billboards, licensed products and posters. It will also feature got milk? rip-offs and a video montage of its award-winning commercials. A huge part of got milk?’s success has been its close ties to other icons. The Copia exhibition displays many of these partnerships, including Cookie Monster, Snap Crackle & Pop, Barbie and Oreos.
"Showcasing got milk? is an excellent match with Copia’s investigation and celebration of cultures through food," says Deborah Gangwer, Copia’s Associate Curator of Exhibitions. "The exhibition highlights the success of the got milk? ad campaign, revealing a cultural phenomenon in food advertising that led to the evolution of an American icon."
"Can you imagine other ads exhibited as art?" says Jeff Manning, CMPB Executive Director and campaign co-creator. "This is a real honor and shows that got milk? is more potent today than ever before."
The first commercial to kick-off the got milk? campaign in 1993, was "Aaron Burr." It featured a strange young man, an American history buff, who loses $10,000 because he’s eaten a massive peanut butter sandwich, runs out of milk and can’t answer a simple question: "Who shot Alexander Hamilton in that famous duel?" The spot won virtually every creative award in the country, including a CLIO Best of show.
About Copia
Copia is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit cultural center and museum whose mission is to investigate and celebrate the culture of the collective table through wine, food and the arts. It is located at 500 First Street in downtown Napa. Hours are Wednesday through Monday 10am – 5pm (closed Tuesday). Admission is $12.50 for adults, $10.00 for students & seniors and $7.50 for children between 6-12 years. Wednesdays are half price for Napa and Sonoma residents. Memberships are available. For additional information, please call (707) 259-1600, or visit the website at www.COPIA.org.
About the CMPB
The California Milk Processor Board was established in 1993 to make milk more competitive and increase milk consumption in California. GOT MILK? is a registered trademark and has been licensed nationally since 1995. A separate Spanish-language campaign has been running in California since 1994. GOT MILK? gifts and recipes can be viewed at https://www.gotmilk.com/. The CMPB is funded by all California milk processors and administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
