There’s nothing like a good sweat…and a glass of milk. At least that’s what the dairy industry wants us to believe.

The Milk Processor Education Program, aka MilkPEP, is an org dedicated to convincing people to drink more cow’s milk, not the kind made from almonds, oats, or peas. And it’s come out with a new campaign that positions milk as a Gatorade replacement of sorts.

1)In a two-minute ad, pro climber Kai Lightner swigs some milk before scaling a 30-story building.
2)The “You’re Gonna Need Milk for That” push features MilkPEP’s iconic “Got milk?” tagline.
3)It’s not the first time MilkPEP has leaned on athletes to frame milk as a sports drink. Remember when Olympian Katie Ledecky swam with a glass of chocolate milk on her head?

Dairy milk experienced a pandemic boost. But its future isn’t rosy. Last year, the US Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service said weekly average household purchases of cow’s milk declined 12% between 2013 and 2017. In 2019, Dean Foods cited “continuing declines in consumer milk consumption” in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy announcement.

Zoom out: As plant-based milk brands grow—and one prepares to go public—dairy milk is struggling to stay relevant. Especially when you consider its impact on the environment; according to a 2018 study from the University of Oxford, producing dairy milk creates nearly three times more greenhouse gas emissions than any plant-based milk. — MS