Turkey 9-1-1

If you get in trouble with your Thanksgiving turkey this week, you can always turn to the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line.

As this column from MIT Sloan argues, the Talk-Line, which was launched in 1981, is a classic example of great content marketing. Butterball isn’t robocalling you or intruding upon your space; rather, they are offering a service that you really need.  And, in turn, they are building a genuine emotional relationship with consumers, one that is associated with the magic of the holiday season.

Butterball wasn’t really thinking about it that deeply at first.  It was just a simple marketing gimmick and they didn’t expect too many people to take advantage of the service.  They staffed it with just six home economists that first year. However, they were deluged with 11,000 calls.  Now, they have expanded to 50 experts who take inquiries by phone, email, text, or live chat from 100,000 desperate people every November and December. 

They also garner tons of earned media for this initiative because it’s so unique and quirky. Butterball loves to talk to reporters and TV hosts about all the zany questions it receives (e.g. “Can you thaw a turkey in the dishwasher?”)  Even if you have never used the hotline, you probably know about it, and it helps make the brand synonymous with the holiday.

Indeed, Butterball is one of the only branded turkeys in the US and Canada, and the goodwill from the hotline likely impacts perceptions of the brand’s other products, as well.