Part 1: Butterball’s Turkey Talk-Line was fresh off its 40th anniversary. How do we earn media buzz and excitement around year forty-one?‍

Part 2: Coming out of years of social separation, how do we remain culturally sensitive and supportive?

Lean into the unexpected story: Beyond their world-class cooking advice, Talk-line Experts often found themselves providing a different kind of support during the holiday season: emotional support. They offered encouraging words, advice or just a listening ear for their callers. We combined decades of both cooking and emotional support advice into one place: a Thanksgiving-countdown calendar full of illustrated uplifting messages, reminders to protect mental wellbeing and those classic, time-tested turkey tips.

Acknowledge realities (not glaze over them): After years of social separation, holidays are more stressful and unpredictable for hosts. Butterball cannot deep fry stress away (yet), so rather than insisting the season is normal and perfect, we acknowledged our new reality and met hosts where they’re at mentally. During a time when emotional and mental health dominated social conversation, each page encourages intentional wellbeing, offers a chuckle or relaxing activity and reminds hosts support is always a text or call away.

Sweet (and savory) Success — earned media coverage in digital publications, newspapers, radio shows.

Comfort Calendar 3-day giveaway — every morning, calendars were snagged in seconds.

Spoiler alert — one of our media contacts accidentally broke embargo because our Comfort Mailers were too “cuuute!!!” (photo in media section)

Partnership with Instacart, Spafinder and Headspa

campaign concept + art direction, illustration art direction, select illustration, design