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3 brand lessons from Sweden’s “Milk War”
Lessons any marketer can use.
If you haven’t heard there’s been a war raging in Sweden since 2015 between the oat milk company, Oatly, and the Swedish dairy industry. More specifically with Swedish dairy conglomerate Arla owns about 90% of the market.
Moves by both sides have revealed some important brand lessons that every company would do well to learn should they come under attack.
Lesson 1/ Play up your strengths and attack the process
Oatly started off correctly by pointing out the benefits of its product — that creating oat milk produces less waste and is better for the planet than creating dairy milk. In doing so they elevated their product and brand without name-checking any specific dairy producer.
Takeaway: By sticking to why you’re best, you rob any oxygen from any fire the competition lights. Also, by not mentioning your competition by name means they don’t get free brand awareness.
