GARNER, N.C., Nov. 1, 2024 – Butterball, the best known and most loved* brand of turkey in the U.S., today announced a partnership with StoryCorps Studios, the brand storytelling division of StoryCorps, the national nonprofit that records and preserves at the Library of Congress conversations between everyday Americans. Together, the two organizations are creating the National Thanksgiving Archive, a compilation of conversations about Thanksgiving memories and traditions to remind us of what we have in common this holiday season.
According to the Butterball Togetherness Report: 2024 Thanksgiving Outlook, when looking ahead to Thanksgiving, consumers are excited about spending time with family (70%), enjoying the food (57%) and relaxing (46%). However, they’re feeling most anxious about discussing current events or politics (67%) - even worse than cost (57%) or travel (49%).**
Beginning today, in an effort to foster togetherness through positive connection this holiday, consumers are encouraged to visit storycorps.org/nationalthanksgivingarchive and record a conversation with a loved one.
“For all the incredible ways Thanksgiving traditionally brings people together, we recognize it’s been a tough year,” said Christa Leupen, director of purpose at Butterball. “That’s why we saw a unique opportunity to partner with StoryCorps Studios to create this archive – to remind us of the conversations, memories and traditions that can bring us together, even if we’ve never felt further apart. It’s another example of Butterball’s commitment to helping people pass love on.”
Everyone who participates will have the option to submit their recording to the StoryCorps collection in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress—the largest single collection of human voices ever gathered. The website features instructions, helpful recording tips, and timely conversation prompts.
“As a time for being with family and friends, and for counting our blessings, Thanksgiving is a perfect time to show loved ones how much they mean to us by recording a conversation together and preserving it for posterity in the Library of Congress,” said Caitlin Moses-Bowser, managing director of StoryCorps Studios. “StoryCorps Studios is excited to collaborate with Butterball to help people across the country find connection while preserving their treasured family traditions and memories this holiday season.”
Later this month, the stories submitted to the National Thanksgiving Archive will be unveiled on Butterball and StoryCorps social media platforms, just in time to remind us of the joys of gathering with friends and family.
Additional Holiday Resources
The Butterball® Turkey-Talk Line® is officially open and ready to support seasoned and novice holiday hosts alike. Experts will be standing by November 1 through December 24 to support holiday hosts again this year, available via the following channels:
- Call 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372) or Text 844-877-3456: Turkey Talk-Line experts are ready to answer holiday hosting questions.
- Social Media: Help and inspiration are also available through Butterball’s Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest channels.
- Website: Email or chat live with the Turkey Talk-Line experts via Butterball.com, plus find trusted recipes, how-to videos and other resources.
About Butterball
Butterball, LLC, headquartered in Garner, North Carolina, is the best known and most loved* brand of turkey in the U.S. Bringing people together over wholesome homemade meals for more than 60 years, the company provides retail and foodservice products to customers in more than 30 countries. Butterball is committed to being an industry leader in quality, food safety and animal care and well-being, and was the first major turkey company to voluntarily achieve certification through American Humane. The company employs over 6,500 team members who work in production facilities, live operations and offices across Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and North Carolina. For consumer questions or information, visit Butterball.com or call the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line®, 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372).
About the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line
One of the first national, toll-free consumer help lines, the Turkey Talk-Line has helped millions of consumers since its first season in November 1981. Each November and December, professionally trained turkey experts assist holiday cooks through the Turkey Talk-Line, Butterball.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, live chat and emails in the United States and Canada. With more than 50 staff members, the Turkey Talk-Line has the resources to answer questions from both English- and Spanish-speaking callers.
About StoryCorps
Founded in 2003, StoryCorps is a national nonprofit dedicated to helping us believe in each other by illuminating the humanity and possibility in us all, one story at a time. Nearly 700,000 people, in all 50 states, have recorded interviews about their lives through StoryCorps. The award-winning organization preserves the recordings in its archive at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, the largest single collection of human voices ever gathered, and shares select stories with the public through StoryCorps ’ podcast, radio broadcasts, animated shorts, digital platforms, and best-selling books. These powerful human stories reflect the vast range of American experiences, engender empathy and connection, and remind us how much more we have in common than what divides us. StoryCorps is especially committed to capturing and amplifying voices least heard in the media. The StoryCorps MobileBooth, an Airstream trailer that has been transformed into a traveling recording booth, crosses the country year-round gathering the stories of people nationwide. 2023 marked the 20th anniversary of StoryCorps. Learn more at storycorps.org.
About StoryCorps Studios
StoryCorps Studios is the services arm of StoryCorps, bringing award-winning methodologies and more than 20 years of expertise to their work. StoryCorps Studios facilitates personal conversations between their various partners’ audiences, employees, customers, and other community members to deliver authentic content to be shared through their own channels.
Through StoryCorps’ partnership with the Library of Congress, StoryCorps Studios creates a lasting legacy for their clients. The proceeds from StoryCorps Studios help to fund StoryCorps’ mission-driven work.
* Source: 2023 Kantar Brand Tracking Oct 2023 n=351
** Butterball partnered with Circana to commission an online survey among a nationally representative sample of 1,502 U.S. adults. The survey was fielded by Circana between July 15 and 26, 2024.
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