Getting through to consumers is more challenging than ever today given the immense clutter created by marketers vying for their attention. The need to find unique, less cluttered landscapes to place ads could lead to no space being off limits. A good example is placing ads on milk cartons. The use of milk cartons to carry messages is not new; ads providing information about missing persons have appeared on milk cartons for nearly 20 years. A company involved in the placement of ads on milk cartons, Box Top Media, claims milk cartons can be found in 96% of American households. The extensive reach and absence of other ads on milk cartons make it an interesting advertising option for large and small brands alike.
While the use of milk cartons to place ads is a clever way to cut through advertising clutter, there would seem to be a point at which ads are so prevalent that they become part of the landscape and are not noticed. Remember when ad-wraps first appeared on autos? They stood out at the time, but as that form of advertising became more common it lost impact. Also, one wonders what clean spaces are in line to become ad spaces. Some possibilities could be:
1. Paper towels – A lot of impressions possible on a single roll
2. Toilet paper – Positive and negative takes on this, I suppose
3. Sporting goods – Ads stamped on baseballs, soccer balls, etc.
On second thought, I’ll stop here. Let’s not give advertisers any more ideas than they have already!
Media Buyer Planner – “Milk Carton Ads Reach 96% of Households”
