NDC to target younger market by making push on social networks

ONLINE marketing via social networks will play a greater role in future National Dairy Council (NDC) efforts to promote the health benefits of milk to younger consumers.

It was agreed at yesterday’s NDC annual conference in the Conrad Hotel, Dublin, that the dairy sector could not afford to ignore the fact that 1.94 million Irish people are on Facebook and almost 500,000 are on business network LinkedIn.

However, guest speaker Aileen O’Toole, managing director of internet consultancy AMAS, warned: “You have to tread carefully with online marketing. In the online space, the big brand is no longer in control of the message.

“In fact, in my experience, it is often the big brands who make the biggest mistakes with online marketing. Smaller companies and NGOs seem to have a better handle on how to get their message across.”

However, she also cited Irish online successes such as James Whelan Butchers and Murphy’s Ice Cream.

A number of attendees noted that the internet offered a powerful route to raising awareness of milk’s health benefits and that social networks were simply perceived as a “cooler” medium by young people.

Food Safety Authority of Ireland health nutrition specialist, Dr Mary Flynn, agreed: “We have noticed that using leaflets is awful when it comes to getting health messages through to young people. We will definitely be looking at online means of getting positive messages across.”

NDC chief executive Zoe Kavanagh said: “We are building our credibility, engaging with 1,200 dietitians and getting our message across in thousands of GPs’ surgeries. We know that it is important to network nationally and internationally.

“Through our Milk In Action campaign, and our work with Paul O’Connell, we have established the link between milk and sport. We have been staying on the front foot with dietitians, while we also have links overseas with other research which helps back up the findings from our own research. ”