LOS ANGELES, March 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In the company of the world's most recognized athletes at the 2012 Endurance LIVE Awards Gala, the group behind the famous National Milk Mustache "got milk?" Campaign unveiled an all-new, fully-integrated program highlighting that what athletes do after strenuous exercise can make a dramatic difference in how they feel and perform during the next workout.
The new REFUEL | "got chocolate milk?™" campaign, backed by a podium-topping team of athletes – including USA Basketball Men's National Team member Carmelo Anthony, twelve-time swimming medalist Dara Torres, five other 2012 USA Swimming Team medal hopefuls, plus 2010 Ironman® World Champion Mirinda Carfrae – shows how refueling with chocolate milk can play an important role during an athlete's after-workout ritual. Lowfat chocolate milk is simple, effective and scientifically shown to help the body recover after a hard workout so athletes can perform at their best during the next bout of exercise. In the run up to the summer, recovering effectively between each tough workout can mean the difference between standing on the podium and going home empty-handed.
While the iconic white Milk Mustache -- which has been a mainstay of the famous print campaign for 17 years -- will continue, the striking new "got chocolate milk?" print, television and online advertising will be mustache-free. Instead, it highlights chocolate milk as a cornerstone of the after-workout rituals of some of the world's best athletes, underscored with the tagline, "my After."
"Every athlete has his or her own personal after-workout or after-competition ritual, which can make a dramatic difference in how they feel or perform during the next challenge," said Miranda Abney, Senior Marketing Manager of the Milk Processor Education Program, the group behind the new campaign. "We want to show how everyone from swimmers, to basketball players, to Ironman triathletes are now recognizing that their After is the perfect time to refuel with lowfat chocolate milk. It has what athletes need to recover after a tough workout."
A new web site, gotchocolatemilk.com, explains the science supporting refueling with chocolate milk; gives an inside look at the after-workout rituals of top athletes through exclusive webisodes; and invites athletes to apply to join Team REFUEL for a chance to get sponsored and win the opportunity to star in a "got chocolate milk?" ad.
Visitors to the REFUEL | "got chocolate milk?" Facebook page or Twitter channel can join the community of athletes gaining (and sharing) insights on their after-workout rituals. On Facebook, athletes will be rewarded for sharing their "Afters" with chances to win training gear or a trip to watch a USA Basketball Men's National Team exhibition game.
A Medal-Winning Launch
Dara Torres, who is expected to compete this summer as the oldest female swimmer in the games' history, helped unveil the new "my After" campaign at the 2012 Endurance LIVE Awards presented by REFUEL | "got chocolate milk?" at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. The star-studded awards ceremony recognized and celebrated some of the world's best endurance athletes and their sporting successes in 2011. Joining her on-stage were other world-class athletes who will be carrying the torch for chocolate milk throughout the year, including eight-time speed skating medalist Apolo Ohno – who was named Celebrity Athlete of the Year at the gala; USA Swimming Team members Ricky Berens and Chloe Sutton; Ironman Champion Chris Lieto; former "Bachelor" and Ironman athlete Dr. Andy Baldwin; and Sarah Reinertsen, the first female leg amputee to complete the Triathlon World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
"The new 'my After' campaign does a great job of capturing our real post-workout rituals while underscoring the importance of that moment from a recovery perspective," said Torres, who previously starred in a Milk Mustache ad in 2009. "As a busy mom and 44 year-old athlete, I have to make my training as effective and efficient as possible to stay competitive – so that's why chocolate milk is part of my After. It has what I need to help me recover so I can get the most out of each subsequent workout."