Since September 1998, Nicole Dube, advertising and promotions director for Le Federation des Producteurs de Lait du Quebec, has used the PNMD Communication creative team of art director Martin Beauvais and writer Stephane Charier for her milk spots.

Dube says the relationship has lasted so long because she ‘loves to work with them.’ Further, she praises, ‘they are very creative, very aware of their industry and very easy to work with.’

The team’s real edge, in Dube’s opinion, is their superlative listening skills. ‘They listen to the client,’ she says. ‘They pay attention. They want to know exactly what we’re thinking about our product. Then after discussion, they go and create. It’s very unusual. Usually [with other creative teams] they say, ‘Oh we know this product – let me work on it,’ and things like that. But they’re very careful to know exactly what we’re saying, what our goals are for next year and what our objective for marketing and communication is. And they go on that.’

Having earned Dube’s trust, Beauvais and Charier, continue to get the milk jobs, despite the fact that, according to Dube, ‘in Quebec, every creative team wants to work with milk.’

She explains: ‘It’s a generic product. A pure product. It’s very nice and well known. I think when we decided to give this account to [PNMD], they were very excited.’

Le Federation des Producteurs de Lait du Quebec seeks ‘something innovative, very nice and different’ for their spots and the Beauvais/ Charier team provides it. The team is also aware that Dube does not want them ‘to manipulate the product,’ and respects their client’s desire to have the spots show ‘milk as milk – pure and with a minimalist image.’

‘I say milk is milk, now show me a picture,’ Dube explains. ‘Everything is focussed on the product.’

So far, Dube and the FPLQ are ecstatic with the work Beauvais and Charier have done. And, for the foreseeable future, the valued campaign will remain in their hands.

‘I hope they will continue to work the way they work right now,’ Dube says. ‘The problem sometimes with creatives is that they try to change a winning situation. I hope they will continue to work on it, but with the same ideas of simplicity and purity.’ *

-www.pnmd.com

-www.lelait.com