Turkey fans are ‘Turketarian’ in Butterball’s ads

Trying to get the word out that Butterball makes more than just the big bird on Thanksgiving Day, Butterball is launching two TV ads that showcase its range of products from turkey sausage to turkey burgers and focus on people who love the lean protein.

Butterball combined with Carolina Turkeys in 2006 and since then the company has been expanding its line of turkey products from Thanksgiving turkeys to everyday products like smoked sausage and turkey burgers.

For its first TV effort in six years, Bill Klump, senior vice president for corporate marketing at Butterball, said the company interviewed 1,000 consumers about how they feel about turkey. Turkey lovers fell into two camps: those that prefer turkey as their main protein of choice and those who are more driven by health benefits.

The TV ads show people happily eating turkey products.

“If you can’t imagine quitting turkey cold turkey. If ‘protein shake’ means dancing around with a turkey burger. If you think it’s time we consider a new national bird.

Then you are what butterball calls a ‘Turketarian,” a voiceover states.

Butterball’s ad agency, Y&R, considered other words, like “ambassador.” But that seemed too formal, so they went with “Turketarian.”

“It’s one of those words that if you step back and think about it for a second the connotation very obvious,” Klump said.

The campaign began last year with print and radio ads and social media. Now, Butterball is adding the TV spots, along with the other components. The ads run May 12 and run through July 4, as well as November, on network and cable stations.

The company did not disclose spending on the effort.