Bad Boys Of Rock Accessorize Black Lipstick With Chocolate Milk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KISS Members Latest Milk Mustache Celebrities

LOS ANGELES (June 3, 1999) – Readers of Spin are in for a surprise. KISS, the rock band made famous by its members’ on-stage antics and wild dress, has updated its trademark makeup with chocolate milk mustaches. The new ad featuring Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss debuts in the July issue of Spin.

The ad reads:

Lick it up. After rocking and rolling all night, we need nourishment. And every drop of chocolate milk has the same vitamins and minerals that regular milk has. All the more reason to have a really, really long tongue.

The aim of the new KISS ad is to spread the word to young adults about chocolate milk’s role in helping to prevent osteoporosis. Many college-aged men and women don’t realize that their bones continue to grow in density until about age 35. Eight out of 10 college-age women and more than half of college-age men do not meet daily calcium requirements. “It’s no secret that milk is an excellent source of calcium,” says Kurt Graetzer, CEO of the Milk Processor Education Program. “But many people don’t know that chocolate milk has the same calcium and other nutrients as regular milk, and is also available in lowfat and fat free versions. KISS might be unexpected in a milk ad, but that's why we chose them— to get the attention of a tough-to-reach young adult audience,” Graetzer says.

The band has enjoyed cult status since its 1972 formation and has experienced an incredible resurgence in popularity in the ‘90s, including an appearance in the Super Bowl XXXIII halftime show. KISS music and merchandise are in great demand now and college-aged adults are some of the band’s most ardent supporters.

Commenting on the popularity of KISS, Joseph Bongiovi, Vice President of Music Licensing for Sony Signatures, the band’s licensing and merchandising representative, said, “We have been working together with KISS for more than three years and have developed a very successful licensing program and we feel that this arrangement with the milk campaign is a perfect fit. The new ad campaign will bring the legendary rock band to generations of KISS fans in a truly unique, positive and creative way.”

According to the National Academy of Sciences, college-age men and women need to consume 1,000 mg of calcium per day, the equivalent of drinking at least three eight-ounce glasses of milk.

With 160 calories and 2.5 grams of fat, lowfat chocolate milk is a nutrient-packed snack. Even heavy-duty rockers like KISS can drink chocolate milk and still fit into those tight leather pants.

The 'got milk?(' Milk Mustache marketing campaign is jointly funded by the nation's fluid milk processors and America's dairy farmers. The multi-faceted campaign was initiated to educate consumers and correct misconceptions about milk. A series of educational brochures for consumers is available by calling 1-800-WHY-MILK or by visiting the milk Web site at http://www.whymilk.com. 'got milk?(' is licensed by Dairy Management Inc.( (DMI). DMI and state, regional and international organizations manage the American Dairy Association(, the National Dairy Council( and the U.S. Dairy Export Council).

The MilkPEP program was developed under the guidance of the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board, an organization funded by U.S. milk processors.

Founded in 1993, Sony Signatures is an industry leader in merchandising, licensing and marketing, representing high-profile concert touring artists, celebrities, the Sony Pictures film and television properties, and other entertainment properties. Sony Signatures is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Los Angeles, London, Paris and Munich.