I Can’t Believe That’s Butter: A Look Inside a Dairy Great Campaign from NORTH

NORTH is one of those shops that produces so much good—including its talent and especially its work for local, regional and national brands.

In a recent episode of Creative Convos, we caught up with Rebecca Armstrong, co-founder of NORTH, to learn more about the agency’s latest project with the Dairy Farmers of Washington and the creative process behind this stunning campaign where, delightfully, butter became a star of the show.

Bringing Dairy Back: The Challenge and the Brief

Washington Dairy Farmers approached NORTH with a clear challenge: raise awareness, create preference, and drive sales for local dairy products in Washington. As an industry, dairy has faced some significant hurdles in recent years. According to Armstrong, the primary issues stem from a combination of declining sales due to health concerns, competition from plant-based alternatives and increasing environmental awareness about the effects of dairy farming. 

“Dairy has had a hard time recently,” said Armstrong, “but plant-based alternatives still only account for 10% of the market. Despite this, they’ve had an outsized impact on the conversation around dairy consumption.”

Faced with these challenges, the creative team at NORTH needed to craft a campaign that celebrated local dairy’s flavor, sustainability, and nutritional benefits in a way that would resonate with consumers—especially younger audiences like Gen Z and millennial parents.

Crafting the Campaign: Simplicity, Storytelling, and Local Flavor

NORTH’s campaign for Washington Dairy centers around a video series that showcases the best of Washington’s food scene through the lens of dairy. The content features chef Noah Galuten and renowned Seattle restaurateur Renee Erickson. They explore local restaurants and dairy’s vital role in creating delicious dishes. The eight-minute hero video brings viewers on a food journey across Seattle, celebrating the region’s culinary excellence.

“We had to lead with taste and deliciousness,” Armstrong noted. “But we also layered in important messaging around sustainability and nutrition.”

The long-form content is beautifully crafted and showcases the use of local dairy products in a way that feels like a love letter to the region. As Armstrong explained, the content was created for the website and carved into smaller pieces for social media and advertising.

“We were disciplined about what messaging lived where,” said Armstrong. “It’s all about making sure that the content fits the platform and reaches the right audience.”

The Power of Collaboration and Efficient Production

Shot in just two days, the video content is rich with detail and seamlessly captures the narrative of sustainability and deliciousness in one.

Noah Galuten’s ability to bring culinary storytelling to life was vital to making the content engaging and relatable. “Noah and his team were amazing in putting together an efficient shoot, and we were able to carve up the content to fit the entire media plan,” Armstrong said.

The team also had to navigate conveying complex themes, like sustainability, without overwhelming the audience. “We wanted to lead with the delicious factor,” Armstrong said, “but for those who want to know more about how the dairy is made sustainably, the website goes deeper.”

Overcoming Challenges: Message Prioritization and Audience Focus

One of the biggest challenges for this campaign was balancing the different messages the team needed to convey—taste, sustainability, and nutrition—without overwhelming viewers. Armstrong shared that the solution was clear messaging and a focused approach to addressing the concerns and interests of younger consumers, particularly millennial parents and Gen Z.

“There’s a nostalgia element around dairy,” Armstrong explained. “It reminds people of simpler times, but we also wanted to make it clear that dairy is healthy, local, and environmentally responsible.”

The decision to focus the campaign on local, sustainable dairy helped create a narrative that resonates with the Washington audience. By emphasizing that the dairy products didn’t come from far away, NORTH positioned Washington Dairy as an environmentally friendly and delicious choice.

Insights on Selling Ideas: Collaboration is Key

According to Armstrong, the days of agencies working in isolation and returning to the client months later with big, final presentations are gone. Today, collaboration and transparency are the keys to success.

“We ideate with the client from the beginning,” Armstrong explained. “There’s no grand reveal anymore—we’re working in real-time, using collaborative tools like digital whiteboards to get client feedback and ensure buy-in along the way.”

This collaborative, iterative approach helps NORTH ensure its work is on point, aligned with client expectations and delivers results.

The Impact and Reception

Although the campaign has only been in the market for a few weeks, it’s already generating buzz. One of the campaign’s unexpected heroes has been the whipped butter featured in the film, which has sparked conversation among foodies and consumers alike.

“The whipped butter has taken on a life of its own,” Armstrong said, laughing. “People love it, and they’re asking where they can get it.”

While the full campaign results are still being evaluated, the early indicators are promising. The campaign has successfully highlighted the local and sustainable aspects of Washington’s dairy industry while making people hungry for more.

“It’s wonderful to see people engaging with this story,” noted Armstrong.