California Cows Make the Milk, But the Milk Commercials are Made in New Zealand. Is that Illegal?

Remember those cute commercials showing cows auditioning American Idol-style to be the next "face" of Real California Milk? Too bad they were all shot in New Zealand, and not California.

There's been a backlash movement (moooooo-vement?) and as a result, the state legislators have come down with some new guidelines, explains an opinion piece in the LA Times. Showbiz labor unions objected to the commercials being shot in New Zealand, "prompting the Assembly on Monday to approve a bill requiring state agencies, commissions or departments that promote California products using public funds to keep their productions in-state."

The issue here in the entertainment and television production capital of the country is that of what's called "runaway production," which is when local outfits shoot elsewhere to save on costs.

"Runaway production isn't a joke: It costs livelihoods and hurts the local economy, affecting even those who don't work in the advertising or entertainment business," claims the article's author.

But, they insist, in this case, the legislators took it too far, and call the bill "an overreaction to one dairy board's marketing mistake." While the Milk Advisory Board missed the boat on doing the savvy thing and keeping the work to promote a state product in-state, ultimately it was simply a blunder.

PS Kirsten, the "Canadian" cow, took the most votes and became the new face of California Happy Cows, happily making Real California Milk. And Cheese!