Lately, a viral video on social media about buyers getting crazy on purchased Bear Brand milk in a supermarket. It's a kind of panic buying due to PPKM implementation since July 3, 2021. 

Bear Brand milk became the most popular product during pandemics. It has been scarce in some regions. Many assumed that Bear Brand milk could increase the body's immunity, so it's suitable for everyone, especially those contaminated with COVID-19. 

We try to follow what people are talking about this Bear Brand by rewriting from this article about the history of why ‘Dragon’ could exist as Bear Brand’s ads icon.

The history of Bear Brand that very popular in the Chinese drugstore

Historically, Bear Brand milk was marketed in 1906, in Switzerland under the Baerenmarke brand's name. It has two forms; liquid and powder. In the 1930s, this milk was sold in several regions, including Southeast Asia. 

 

 

 

 

 

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However, the milk was popular around the 70-80s. The Bear Brand milk was widely sold in Chinese drug stores. Because of this, many believe that Bear Brand milk is very effective in healing like another Chinese medicine. 

When dragon became an ads icon for cow’s milk

For a long time, this belief has been going on and has become the background history of why 'Dragon' is an icon in its advertisement. Pribadi Pranata, twitter user, gave his voice. He was one of the people behind the idea of 'Dragon' Bear Brand milk's ads. The advertising agency that he worked for in 2005 won the pitching for this brand. 

 

 

 

 

 

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At that time, Bear Brand milk was popular for restoring and neutralizing poisons. Also, many people are looking for this product in Chinese drugstores. Because of this insight, they found the keyword that Bear Brand was believed to be hereditary from China. 

In several cities, Bear Brand was known to overcome hangovers. This is what made Pribadi and his team created Bear Brand's ad with the tagline "The Drunken Master.” 

"The client was happy because its communication effort has succeeded in increasing awareness and sales. So, we are challenged to continue the campaign. During the brainstorm, the idea came up with a polar bear which took a location in China. But the story is still not connected, and we were very confused," he said. 

Then, it suddenly came up with another idea; using a dragon figure with an assumption that the dragon is a legendary Chinese creature and the blood is efficacious. 

"Bear Brand was popular from Chinese drugstores and believed to be passed down from generation to generation. Besides, it would be funny if we made ad ads using dragons for cow's milk, but the logo is bear. People will definitely talk about it," he explained. 

The concept was then approved until it was revealed in a TV commercial in 2006. This dragon figure then became Bear Brand’s ads icon for almost decades afterward.