America’s largest chicken purveyor is about to spend $40 million telling people that it now sells beef and pork under the same name.
Beginning this week, Tyson Foods Inc. launches its biggest advertising campaign to date following its decision last year to fold all of its recently acquired IBP pork and beef brands under the Tyson name.
The new campaign, from DDB Chicago, is the first consolidated ad campaign since Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson was forced by a judge to complete a deal to buy IBP Inc. for $3 billion in 2001 after it tried to back out.
And while there are certain synergies to be gained from marketing everything under the stronger Tyson name, the move is risky in that most food companies that specialize in a commodity rarely change brand names, let alone spend as much money as Tyson is saying it is spending in support of it.
Tyson isn’t the first. Chicago-based Sara Lee Corp. over the past few years began consolidating several products, including deli meats, under the Sara Lee name with some success. Northfield-based Kraft Foods Inc. also has extended its moniker throughout its crowded cupboard.
Tyson said that because 95 percent of consumers tested recognized its brand name, it feels that it can extend the name without consumer backlash.
“By having the same look and feel, it starts to build out what we already have as a foundation,” said Bob Corscadden, senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “It allows us to talk about all the products at once.”
Tyson says that, overall, it is spending roughly $100 million to market new products and build the Tyson name in other categories. That represents a 20 percent hike over last year’s budget.
Tyson, like other food companies, will focus more on new convenience foods.
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This month, it is launching a line of 31 chicken, beef, ham and turkey deli meats in the self-service deli section at grocery stores. And in February, the company will begin shipping a line of 14 heat-and-eat beef and pork roasts, hams and pork tenderloins.
It also has a line of Tyson-branded individually wrapped frozen steaks and pork chops on the West Coast, which it says it will take national.
Corscadden wouldn’t comment on what other products the company has in store, but he didn’t rule out a whole new line of convenience products that could be made available for consumers who eat on the go.
Supporting the initiative is new advertising work from DDB. Corscadden had two different teams from the agency work on a campaign using a new theme line and the current “Tyson, it’s what your family deserves” line launched in 2000. Following consumer testing, Tyson decided to stick with the current line for the new campaign.
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