Newspaper Articles

Wisconsin's Dairy Farmers have two promoters working in their behalf. The newest is "The Cowsills" popular singing group hired by the national ADA.

"The Cowsills", the American dairy farmer's newest partner in promoting use of dairy products, perform at the World Food Exposition in Madison. They are under contract with the American Dairy Association. At right is Mrs. Cowsill with her nine-year-old daughter Susan at center stage.

MADISON – If your once contented “Bossie” the cow starts jogging around the barn floor next winter, don’t worry.

She just turned herself on to the music of the young generation of milk drinkers.

The modern rock tune will have a dairy product flavor about it thanks to the American Dairy Association’s (ADA) new promotion team – “The Cowsills.”

You may have never heard of “The Cowsills,” but it’s likely your school-age sons and daughters have been doing some rock girations to some of their popular tunes lately.

Family of Seven

“The Cowsills” are a family of seven (six now while the oldest son is serving in Vietnam) children who have a good time bringing lively tunes to the younger generation. Their father, a retired Navy veteran of 20-years service from Rhode Island, manages the singing troupe while includes Mrs. Cowsill.

They appeared t the World Food Exposition which closed here Sunday as part of a nationwide tour. The troupe is under contract with the ADA for the next one and a half years.

At a special luncheon in Madison last week sponsored by the ADA “The Cowsills” gave a sneak preview of their talents. They sang without benefit of the usual stage amplifiers and showed why they appeal to the young. They can belt out a tune that even has “the establishment” tapping.

Distinctive Appeal

A spokesman for the ADA indicated they were interested in a distinctive appeal to the nation’s youngsters to convince them of the goodness of dairy products. He noted that the U.S. dairy farmer for years had been working through the ADA in similar promotions and felt “The Cowsills” fit the present need.

They relay a lot of their versions of some of the folk tunes which were popular in the last few years but intersperse them with their songs which reflect their view of the times.

They will be used on 182 markets in the U.S. This is their first experience in doing television commercials but as a young family they are well acquainted with dairy products. Mrs. Cowsill indicated the family consumes between four and five gallons of milk a day.

Two of the older boys have written the “milk song” which will be used in their commercials. Here’s how it goes:

“When you find that you’re running down slowly
And you need a lift that will last
There is something that you should be knowing
So listen, start filling your glass
Morning, noon and night or in between
It’s really out of sight
Oh! Oh! Oh!
Wake up to a milk day
One that’s sure to move you in a good way
One that will improve you
So get the lift that last.”