Dive Brief:
- Ripple, a pea-based milk brand, has created a retro-style 8-bit game to convince consumers of the health benefits of its alternative-dairy product above all other nut-based, plant-based, and even traditional dairy milks, according to The Drum.
- Created with help from VMG Creative, the game asks questions like "should milk shower you in sugar?" and then explains how Ripple’s products have "half the sugar" and "a whopping 50% more calcium than dairy milk."
- Ripple’s “Original” milk has eight grams of protein, the same as dairy milk, while almond milk contains only one gram, and cashew and coconut milk each have none. Soy milk comparisons aren't made mentioned in Ripple's game, however, likely because its health benefits are nearly identical to pea-based milk — soy milk contains eight grams or protein and 45% of daily calcium.
Dive Insight:
Ripple's new promotional pitch comes at a time when the definition of "milk" is a hot topic of conversation — and legislation.
In January, the “Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, Milk, and Cheese To Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday Act” bill, known as the DAIRY PRIDE act, was proposed in the Senate to push the Food and Drug Administration to enforce the definition of milk — excluding nut or plant-based milk alternatives.
The bill contends that imitation dairy products often do not provide the same nutrition content as real milk, cheese and yogurt derived from dairy cows.
The DAIRY PRIDE act was proposed in part because milk has seen declining sales of late. A recent study by Mintel showed that U.S. non-dairy milk sales grew 9% in 2015, while dairy milk sales declined 7% over the same period.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture offered dairy producers approximately $11.2 million in financial assistance to help deal with the industry’s current challenges, including an increase in alternative milks taking away market share.
Ripple’s game could be a way to fire back at the Dairy Pride Act, but it’s probably more an attempt to draw consumers away from popular almond and cashew milk categories to its own pea-based products.
Still, it’s taste that attracts consumers more than anything, and until the alt-milk products like Ripple can deliver what people are used to in their milk products, it’s going to be hard to lure too much market share away.