Dairy Farmers of Ontario Takes a Culinary Odyssey Celebrating Ontario's Dairy Heritage

Starting November 6th, CTV.ca will be streaming a new three-part cooking series ‘Milk Masters’. This series, by Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), celebrates Ontario milk's irreplaceable role in many beloved dishes. Host Jessica Allen, and three legen-dairy judges: Christine Cushing, Claudio Aprile, and Craig Wong, judge six local chefs competing for the title of ‘Milk Master’. In each episode, the competing chefs are inspired by a dairy farming family recipe and are tasked with reimagining this recipe in a new way that celebrates the delicious taste of local dairy. The winner will secure a $25,000 donation to their local food charity.

DFO, together with their creative agency, Broken Heart Love Affair, developed a culinary strategy and campaign that leans into dairy’s irreplaceability. Showcasing Chefs’ love for local dairy in their dishes and inspiring consumers to recreate these dishes at home.

Starcom Canada played a pivotal role in forging a strategic partnership with Bell Media, ensuring that ‘Milk Masters’ found its ideal home on CTV.ca.

Kimberly Romany, marketing director at Dairy Farmers of Ontario said, “Cooking shows have a special place in Ontarians’ hearts, coupled with a donation to a local food charity and mouth-watering dishes as the star of the show, was a clear recipe for success! Another key to success was having the right media approach. CTV.ca, with its broad viewership, naturally stood out as the ideal platform. We’re thrilled Starcom Canada managed to secure a strong partnership with Bell Media”. 

Charlene Bickerstaffe, director of planning at Starcom Canada, added, “It is an exciting media innovation. Campaigns rarely evolve into entire on-demand shows accessible to all viewers!”. 

But the innovation extends beyond the show itself. “Starcom Canada also secured segments in CTV’s Your Morning. They’re placed in the commercial breaks but appear as a continuation of the show, enabling our message to be geo-targeted to Ontario only in a national program.” explained Charlene. “With these segments, the surrounding promotional tactics and the ‘Milk Masters’ series itself, we provide audiences in Ontario with a non-intrusive and entertaining way to experience the Dairy Farmers of Ontario message - reminding viewers of the important role milk and dairy plays in delicious food”.

Other elements of the campaign include radio, social and digital video.