Pauls milk stays fresh for 20 years

It’s a question we often ask ourselves at Cubery. When brands have highly effective creative on their hands, why are they often so quick to throw it out in favor of the new and unproven?

There’s perhaps no better case study than “Tastes Like Real Milk” from Australian milk brand, Pauls. First released over 20 years ago, the ad struck gold with a dry, highly relatable narrative built around a simple insight. It was widely loved by the public at the time, but then, like a lot of advertising, it was quietly relegated to the archives. That is until 2024, when Pauls decided to dust it off and put it back on air.

But with the world a completely different place today than it was in 2004, would the ad still stand up? The answer after speaking to a nationally representative sample of Australian milk drinkers was a resounding ‘yes’.

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At its core, the ad is disarmingly simple. A deadpan exchange, delivered with effortless humor, culminating in a punchline that lands in a single beat: a straightforward, no-frills milk that tastes good and is good for you.

While it may sound like advertising 101, it’s this seamless blending of emotional engagement, prominent brand cues, and a simple but meaningfully differentiated insight that keeps brands top-of-mind both in the short- and long-term. It’s also no coincidence that these same elements form the foundations of our 3Cs framework: Captivate, Connect, and Compel.

So, how did Pauls achieve this feat when so many others struggle to make the leap from good to great?

In wrapping up the product’s USP within the humorous punchline, and heroing the product at the most emotionally resonant moment of the ad, the ad ensured that what people enjoyed most is also what drives long-term commercial impact. As a result, people didn’t just remember the cheeky dig at the man’s potbelly. Instead, they remember the brand and how it can help solve their most important needs in the category.

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Of course, it helps when a narrative simultaneously taps into nostalgia while still remaining highly relevant. Even today, Pauls’ proposition still speaks directly to the enduring problems people face in the category: excessive choice along with the persistent belief that healthy must come at the expense of taste.

It’s no surprise, then, that the ad has continued to work its butt off following its relaunch. It reminds those who can still fondly recall it from 2004 about why the ad worked so well in the first place, while introducing a new generation to a proposition that still holds true—even if the corner milk bar is now largely a relic of the past.

Ultimately, “Tastes Like Real Milk” proves that brands don’t always need a reset to remain topical and relevant. When you’re already sitting on an advertising icon, the real question is: why would you let that go to waste?

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