Got An Original Idea?

In 1993 the California Milk Processor Board was formed to remind people to drink milk. They hired ad agency Goodby, Berlin & Silverstein, who did research and produced the popular milk commercials for the California Milk Processor Board. The television commercials set up the groundwork for the got milk? advertising campaigns that everyone now-a-days recognizes.

Since 1993 there have been countless companies that have co-opted the got milk? tagline, (above is just a small sample of what I found). Usually these knock offs are done by small local businesses who don't have a marketing budget and don't really understand branding. The just "borrow" popular taglines from commercials or print ads that they have seen. Most of the time these appropriated taglines that they use don't even work or make any sense for that particular company.

I feel this forced branding hurts those small businesses and confuses their targeted clients rather than help them. I like the idea of small local companies branding themselves, but why not come up with something original? Come up with a campaign that actually means something to that particular business. Or better yet, create a brand by helping the community, and in turn this will help their brand get recognized locally.