In 2024 and 2025, Midwest Dairy entered a new influential space by partnering with a collegiate athletics conference for the first time. Collegiate athletics has become a major stage, even rivaling the popularity of professional sports. These teams, schools, and athletes bring people together, creating a sense of community. Midwest Dairy stepped onto this stage by partnering with the Big 12 Conference, one of the nation’s premier conferences, for three major championship events: soccer, wrestling, and basketball.
By harnessing the power of college athletics, Midwest Dairy is connecting with young adults and their families, meeting them where they are, with messaging that builds trust and deepens understanding of dairy’s critical role is sustainability. Midwest Dairy used a mix of in-venue and televised signage, digital marketing, fan engagement, and activations to bring dairy to the forefront, one moo at a time.
Life without dairy isn’t sustainable. So dairy is becoming more sustainable.
The four-day championship drew 7,558 in-person attendees and 77,000 TV viewers, who collectively watched 3.7 million minutes of soccer. A mix of field-level signage and fun fan engagement, such as a cheesy dance and song activation, helped drive visibility. A branded “Big 12 Eats” menu featured hot chocolate made with dairy, which proved to be a crowd favorite.
A 60-day post-event digital marketing campaign reached mobile users, achieving a click-through rate between 0.3% and 0.47%, meeting agriculture industry benchmarks. This partnership enabled Midwest Dairy to share memorable messages about sustainability and animal care, strategically crafted to resonate with a broad audience and build trust that drives dairy sales.
At the Big 12 Wrestling Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Midwest Dairy welcomed fans with a “Cozy Cow Lounge” at the BOK Center. Attendance reached a record 21,309 across four ticketed sessions. Fans enjoyed 600 free servings of milk and cereal and joined in on dairy trivia for a chance to win fun branded giveaways. Local dairy farmers Jack and Patty Dill added authenticity to the messaging around animal care and farmer commitment.
Dairy messaging reached fans through scoreboard engagement and on-mat signage, with “Be Legendairy” prominently displayed during championship podium moments. The “Big 12 Eats” menu featured dairy-rich items such as the “12 Alarm Mat Burner” chili bowl and “Big 12 Slam pecan tart”. ESPN+ viewership topped 669,000, offering major visibility for Midwest Dairy and Undeniably Dairy.
An accompanying 30-day mobile ad campaign exceeded expectations with a 1% click-through rate, more than double the industry benchmark, indicating strong post-event interest in dairy.
During the Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s and Men’s Basketball Championships in Kansas City, dairy took center stage for 10 action-packed days. Midwest Dairy showed up in full force inside the T-Mobile Center and at the Big 12 BLVD Fan Fest, reaching 144,413 ticketed fans and millions more through TV and digital platforms. From courtside videoboards and concession menus to interactive fan activities, dairy was everywhere.
The “Big 12 Eats” featured 80% dairy-based menu items, with each of the 16 Big 12 schools represented by custom dishes. The women’s tournament saw average game viewership rise by 26%, while the men’s games averaged 794,000 viewers, a 22% increase from 2024. USDairy.com received live shoutouts and on-screen visibility during the men’s championship, which drew 2.2 million viewers.
Dairy farmers Byron and Heidi Wells, along with Dwight and Anita Rokey, attended with their families and were recognized on the court during both the women’s and men’s quarterfinal games. Their presence highlighted the sustainability efforts of local dairy farms and reminded fans that dairy farmers aren’t just important to the industry; they are the industry.
Fan Fest activations included a “Moo-ve and Groove” silent disco, where 7,500 attendees enjoyed dairy-themed fun through multiple music channels, photobooths, and athlete influencer collaborations. Athletes from four Big 12 schools acted as “guest DJs” by having a few of their favorite tunes on the playlist. They also promoted the event through Instagram, generating over 393,000 impressions. A post-event digital campaign reached over 762,000 mobile users, achieving a 0.22% click-through rate, which aligned with internal benchmarks. Notably, 96% of surveyed participants said the Dairy Disco improved their perception of dairy’s environmental sustainability.
With millions reached through live events, broadcast coverage, and digital engagement, this partnership delivered measurable results and positioned dairy in a bold new spotlight. We’re excited to build on this momentum because in a world seeking real, sustainable solutions, life without dairy simply isn’t one of them.