“The Art of Real Milk” – Anchor x Noma Bar for World Milk Day
On June 1st, to coincide with World Milk Day, Anchor Milk and TBWA\NZ released a limited-edition visual campaign in collaboration with London-based illustrator Noma Bar. The project, titled The Art of Real Milk, features a series of graphic illustrations that combine football motifs with representations of milk consumption. The campaign was also tied to Anchor’s inaugural season as the front-of-shirt sponsor for Auckland FC, whose team won the A-League Premiers Plate after a 53-point season.
The artwork applies Bar’s well-known style—flat shapes, constrained palettes, and visual puns. These compositions were reproduced as 53 numbered prints, a direct reference to the team’s point total. A small number of signed versions were distributed through social giveaways and gifted to the club.
According to TBWA\NZ, the objective was to extend the role of sponsorship into a cultural gesture, associating milk not only with recovery and hydration but also with visual identity and memory. The agency’s Chief Creative Officer, Shane Bradnick, described the campaign as “elegant” and “unexpected.” Renee Milkop-Kerr, Fonterra Oceania’s Marketing and Innovation Director, noted that the campaign was intended as a form of acknowledgment—to the team, its supporters, and the product itself.
The project was rolled out across out-of-home formats and digital channels. On social media, responses included comments on the simplicity of the design and the recognizability of Bar’s aesthetic. While primarily intended for a New Zealand audience, the campaign has received international attention in design-focused outlets.
Creative Credits
Client: Anchor (Fonterra)
Agency: TBWA\NZ
Illustrator: Noma Bar
Chief Creative Officer: Shane Bradnick
Creative Partners: Daniel Davison, Ashley Wilding
General Manager: Simon Mills-Houlihan
Chief Executive Officer: Catherine Harris
Quoted in the press:
Shane Bradnick (TBWA\NZ CCO):
“World Milk Day gave us the perfect moment to show up in a way that felt meaningful and unexpected… with elegance, emotion and a bit of magic.” instagram.com+5instagram.com+5adobomagazine.com+5instagram.com
Renee Milkop‑Kerr (Fonterra/Oceania Marketing Director):
“The Art of Real Milk is our way of saying thank you—to the club, the fans, and to real milk—for an incredible season.”
From TBWA\NZ’s LinkedIn:
“Real milk fuels more than just breakfast—it powered Auckland FC all season long.” instagram.com
Media coverage:
📄 LBB Online – “Noma Bar Designs Minimalist Artworks to Showcase 'The Art of Real Milk'”
https://lbbonline.com/news/tbwanz-anchor-the-art-of-real-milk en.wikipedia.org+11lbbonline.com+11brandinginasia.com+11
📰 StopPress (NZ) – “Anchor and TBWA\NZ pay tribute to milk's sporting power”
https://stoppress.co.nz/news/anchor-and-tbwanz-pay-tribute-to-milks-sporting-power/ facebook.com+10stoppress.co.nz+10lbbonline.com+10🌏 Branding in Asia – “The Art of Real Milk: Anchor and Noma Bar mark World Milk Day with AFC tribute”
https://www.brandinginasia.com/the-art-of-real-milk-anchor-and-noma-bar-mark-world-milk-day-with-afc-tribute/ en.wikipedia.org+11brandinginasia.com+11adobomagazine.com+11🎨 Adobo Magazine – “Anchor and Noma Bar kick off World Milk Day with a Bold Tribute to the Beautiful Game via TBWA\NZ”
https://www.adobomagazine.com/campaign-spotlight/anchor-and-noma-bar-kick-off-world-milk-day-with-a-bold-tribute-to-the-beautiful-game-via-tbwanz/ linkedin.com+5adobomagazine.com+5linkedin.com+5💼 TBWA\NZ (LinkedIn) – Campaign announcement with insights, visuals, and quotes
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tbwanewzealand_worldmilkday-activity-7333699750174629888-LHfr facebook.com+1brandinginasia.com+1campaignbrief.com+8linkedin.com+8linkedin.com+8📺 Best Ads on TV – “Anchor: the art of real milk” featuring campaign visuals
https://www.bestadsontv.com/news/blog.php?id=63146 linkedin.com+10bestadsontv.com+10lbbonline.com+10📘 Campaign Brief – “Anchor + Noma Bar kick off World Milk Day with bold tribute to the beautiful game”
https://campaignbrief.com/2025/05/ facebook.com+8campaignbrief.com+8linkedin.com+8
