Tillamook 2025 brand campaign focuses on Morning Star

February 19, 2025

Beginning 116 years ago, the Morning Star took sail to deliver a boatload of dairy to the people of the Pacific Northwest. Aboard: products from Tillamook County. 


Tillamook farmers had more butter and milk than you could imagine. The problem? Tillamook is isolated. There were no real roads connecting the Tillamook Bay to the growing Port of Portland. And the rugged coastal mountain range was dangerous.


So, they took to the sea.


After months of work and many failures, they found success in the Morning Star. It became Oregon’s first official ship. 


Building on the “Extraordinary Dairy” brand platform that was introduced by Tillamook County Creamery Association and Leo Chicago, initially launched last May, the 2025 brand campaign tells the tales of the Tillamook origin story which starts with the brand’s dairy boat.


On January 1st 1855, a speech was made — they christened the boat The Morning Star of Tillamook; it was the first boat ever registered in Tillamook County. While they had no grease for the skids, the boat was ready for launch. When they removed the blocks to let her slide into the water, the boat didn’t budge. It sat there for four days. Finally, the Morning Star made its way to water. It sailed up the coast, into the mouth of the Columbia River, arriving to Portland to deliver the world its first taste of Tillamook dairy. Two centuries later, the boat remains a strong symbol of our commitment, and a testament to the local culture.


“Through this new work, we’ve crafted a tale that connects the brand’s past with its present,” said Sarah Block, Executive Vice President, Creative Director at Leo Chicago. “The Morning Star is more than an origin story for Tillamook; it is core to their DNA to do whatever it takes to deliver extraordinary dairy.”


Each piece of creative in this campaign is a layer of the brand’s backstory and the eras of their history of bringing delight to consumers through dairy. And helps answer the curiously of the “little boat” pictured on all of Tillamook’s dairy products.


The media strategy includes a robust mix across premium streaming platforms, social media, and digital placements. 


*Content provided by Tillamook County Creamery Association 


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