Dive Brief:

• The California Milk Processor Board, better known as the creators of the "Got milk?" campaign, has produced a bilingual content series called "Glass Half Full News," or "El Vaso Medio Lleno Noticias," per a press release.
• The weekly digital news series will feature children hosting positive segments on subjects like their family lives, arts, food, fashion, fitness and "imaginary trips during lockdown." Marsai Martin of ABC’s "Black-ish" was brought on to serve as the creative advisor.
• The series will also feature Mexican-American singer Ángela Aguilar, who will be sharing her quarantine activities, along with "kidfluencers" like Leo Kelly, Zooey Miyoshi and Stella and Blaise Bennett, which will air weekly through October on www.ghfnews.com and www.vmlnoticias.com.

Dive Insight:

With its bilingual kid-focused news show, the California Milk Processor Board is making a timely entry into content marketing at a time when digital content focused on positive news has been resonating with viewers. Earlier this year, actor John Krasinski had a hit with his "Some Good News" web series, which quickly signed up 2.5 million YouTube subscribers, attracting the attention of ViacomCBS, which bought the show two months after it launched.

"Got Milk?" was California Milk Processor Board's award-winning campaign in the 1990s, but the tagline was discontinued in 2014 before being brought back this year. Still, today's marketing landscape requires a different approach to engage consumers as they grow more averse to traditional advertising and cut the cord on ad-supported channels.

By tapping Martin, described in press materials as "Hollywood's youngest executive producer," along with notable kidfluencers, the board can engage with Gen Z consumers by showcasing talent that is close in age to the cohort. Almost half (44%) of Gen Z has made a purchase decision based on a recommendation from a social influencer, compared with 26% of the general population, per Kantar.

Though the focus of the show will be uplifting news updates, the organization acknowledges that milk will serve as the subtext for the segments. The series is meant to provide some relief amid a difficult environment for families, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to upend daily life, including school plans.

"We hear it all the time that kids are resilient. But what does that mean, and why does it matter so much right now?" James said. "As disruptive and unsettling as these challenging times are, they have also given kids the opportunity to grow and flourish creatively, in responsibilities and in ingenious ways to entertain themselves that might not have otherwise been navigated in more 'status quo' times."

Other brands, including Mike's Hard Lemonade and Pepsi, have employed a positive news strategy, which could be increasingly resonant as the news is dominated by the pandemic, climate disasters and a contentious presidential election. Research suggests that tailoring this upbeat content to digital channels for Gen Z viewers could pay off. About two-thirds (65%) of Gen Z use the internet for entertainment, making digital media channels a key way to reach younger audiences, per a survey commissioned by WordPress hosting company WP Engine.