An Imperfect Thanksgiving Is a Happy Thanksgiving

GARNER, NC--(Marketwired - November 01, 2017) - Very few things in life are Pinterest perfect. Butterball knows Thanksgiving's no different. But with all the things that could go wrong, we're here to help make sure the turkey always goes right. Your Thanksgiving may not be picture perfect, but cooking your turkey should be stress-free.

Butterball conducted a consumer survey for a pulse on Thanksgiving preppers' expectations and realities when it comes to one of the most important meals of the year, and found:

• ONE FOR THE BOOKS: Two-thirds of Americans rank Thanksgiving as one of their favorite holidays.
• CHANGING WITH THE TIMES: Two-thirds of Americans like to incorporate new traditions into their celebrations...many of which include cooking up new and different recipes for loved ones to enjoy.
• ...EXCEPT FOR THE TURKEY: Out of all things Thanksgiving preparers cook up, they're most proud of the turkey. And 88 percent prep it the old-school way: in an oven.
• IT'S ALL GOOD! 84 percent feel excited about preparing the meal, and 74 percent of Americans don't expect Thanksgiving to be perfect.
• BUT IF THERE'S ONE THING TO NAIL: It's the turkey! Despite the overall positivity around the holiday, first-time millennial preparers are still feeling the pressure. Eight in 10 first-time cooks worry about cooking the turkey correctly. This number drops among experienced preparers, but still 43% worry about getting it right.
• EMOJI PETITION: With two-thirds of the country ranking Thanksgiving as a favorite holiday, the Turkey Talk-Line experts know a perfectly browned, mouth-watering Thanksgiving turkey emoji will help Americans communicate their love of turkey with an emoji. This year, we're rallying support to make the Thanksgiving turkey emoji a reality via Change.org. Sign the petition!

"While we know Thanksgiving can be full of little stresses, we also know it's important to not sweat the small stuff," said Sue Smith, co-director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. "After all, Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate being together! That's why we at Butterball are proud of -- and take seriously -- our role in making hosts' Thanksgivings as seamless as possible, from providing best-in-class turkeys to being available via text to answer any questions cooks may have."

From first-time preparers freaked out by the giblets, to experienced cooks looking to try new recipes to accommodate an ever-changing tradition, no Thanksgiving question or concern is off the table for the experts on the other end of the Turkey Talk-Line.

Expert Advice Anytime, Anywhere: Butterball Turkey Talk-Line experts will be available via text Nov. 1 through Christmas Day, with extended hours the week of Thanksgiving. With decades of Thanksgivings under their belts, Butterball's experts are a cherished holiday staple and a source of vital turkey day advice. When Butterball's taking care of the turkey, hosts can spend more time enjoying the togetherness -- and the little imperfections that come with it -- that make the day so special.

The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line has evolved how they help cooks and are able to provide expert advice anytime, anywhere.

• Text 844-877-3456: With nearly one in three first time cooks saying they'd text the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line for cooking help¹, it only makes sense for Talk-Line experts to expand their support by offering, for the second year, the ability to text in their cooking questions during the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.
• How-To Videos: The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line experts have been answering turkey questions for more than 30 years and have helped almost 50 million cooks. Their expert knowledge is now available at your fingertips, day or night, with fun and helpful video tips at Butterball.com or YouTube.
• Facebook and Twitter: Help is available through the Butterball Facebook and Twitter pages with tips, special savings and more.
• Pinterest: Find Thanksgiving recipe inspiration for your holiday celebration on the Butterball Pinterest page.
• Instagram: Follow Butterball on Instagram to get a behind-the-scenes look, recipe development for our Thanksgiving meal and more.
• Live Chats: Engage with turkey experts through Live Chats on Butterball.com during November and December and receive real-time suggestions and advice.
• Email: Email Butterball using this form and receive helpful tips right to your inbox.
• 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372): Turkey Talk-Line experts will be available this season starting Nov.1 through Dec. 24, 2017, to answer questions and assist all Thanksgiving cooks.
• Website and Mobile App: Whether you have years of experience or it's your first time cooking the turkey, Butterball.com and the Butterball Cookbook Plus App have all the answers for your needs. Between coupon savings, trusted recipes, how-to-videos with step-by-step details and key tips for success, everything you need is easily accessible.

About the Butterball Consumer Survey
Butterball commissioned a 15-minute, online survey among two audiences: a) 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18+ who prepared or hosted Thanksgiving in 2016 and b) 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18+ who participated in Thanksgiving but did not prepare or host the meal in 2016. The margin of error for both samples is +/- 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. The survey was fielded between January 17 and January 25, 2017.

About the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line
One of the first national, toll-free consumer help lines, the Turkey Talk-Line has helped almost 50 million consumers since its first season in November 1981. Each November and December, professionally trained turkey experts assist more than 4 million cooks through the Turkey Talk-Line, Butterball.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Live Chats 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 either English- or Spanish-speaking callers, as well as respond to questions via email.

About Butterball
Headquartered in Garner, N.C., Butterball is the largest producer of turkey products in the U.S. -- producing more than 1 billion pounds of turkey each year. For more than 60 years, the company has provided foodservice and retail products to customers and consumers around the world. As an industry leader in quality, food safety and animal well-being, the company employs numerous processes to ensure the health of flocks and implements recognized prevention measures to exceed food safety standards. Butterball products are currently distributed throughout the U.S. and in more than 45 countries. Butterball operates seven processing plants located in North Carolina, Arkansas and Missouri.

For consumer questions or information, please visit Butterball.com or call 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372). Visit ButterballCorp.com for corporate information about the company.

Please visit our Digital News Room for more materials and assets.

Editor's Note: Butterball Turkey Talk-Line experts are available for media interviews. For more information, please contact Edelman at 312-BB-MEDIA (312-226-3342).

¹ The Butterball Ipsos poll was conducted March 22, 2016-April 5, 2016. A nationally representative sample of randomly-selected adults aged 21-65 residing in the U.S. was interviewed via Ipsos' 25-minute online survey.

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