• by Danielle Oster , August 1, 2024

When Kathrine Switzer made history as the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as an official competitor in 1967, not everyone was pleased. A historic photo of Switzer being shoved by men during the race documents the obstacles she faced in participating in the event.

That photo plays a prominent role in establishing the theme of “Made For Women,” an ad  for the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), the industry organization known for its “Got Milk?” tagline. It crops up following an establishing shot of Greek art depicting a group of men running, as the message “Marathons were made by men” morphs into “Marathons were made for men,” and before former National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman delivers her poem providing the ad’s narration.

What does that have to do with milk? “Made For Women” promotes “Every Woman’s Marathon,” an event organized by MilkPEP’s Team Milk group as a marathon designed by and for women  in Savannah, Georgia Nov. 16. (While focused on promoting an inclusive and empowering environment for women to run, the race is open to people of all genders.)

The ad will run through Aug. 11 during Olympics coverage and content on NBC’s Peacock, and sports-related content on YouTube, according to LBB. It saw a quieter initial release earlier this year to promote the race.

"We knew marathons were the perfect space for milk to support after we uncovered that 70% of female runners seek additional protein during their marathon race preparation, with over half expressing a desire to incorporate more B12, vitamin D, and calcium into their training diets,” MilkPEP CEO Yin Woon Rani said in a statement. “Milk has all of that and more in one affordable glass that helps runners fuel, build lean muscle, and rehydrate and recover post-run."

The campaign and event are part of a broader effort to connect the brand to women’s sports. In March, MilkPEP, and its agency Gale, entered into a multimillion-dollar media partnership with Vox focused on celebrating and promoting  women in sports.

There’s some bad news for those inspired to run the event after watching “Made For Women,” though: there’s officially no room at the starting line. The event has run out of reservations, according to an official release.

Team Milk is also supporting runners as they train and prepare for the marathon, providing guidance from designated captains including Switzer herself and 2004 Olympics women’s marathon bronze medal-winner Deena Kastor. Team Milk will also connect participants virtually through its Strava – an online fitness tracking and social networking service.  MilkPep is also celebrating the women of Team Milk, in their own words, with a “Why We Run” page.