The first turkey company in the event’s 94-Year history to feature a float in the iconic parade
WILLMAR, Minn. — Jennie-O Turkey Store, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hormel Foods, and a global branded food company, will debut a float in the 94th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. During the annual event, the inaugural Jennie-O float will be unveiled to more than 50 million viewers nationwide on Thursday, Nov. 26, live from 34th Street in New York City.
The addition of the Jennie-O float marks the first time the event and holiday synonymous with turkey will feature a turkey brand.
Since 1940, Jennie-O Turkey Store has helped families across America and in more than 40 countries serve traditional and innovative Thanksgiving meals while creating lasting memories. Now, to mark its 80th anniversary, the brand is celebrating by joining the iconic Parade line-up to make even more memories and entertainment for all, the company said.
Jennie-O will also use the new platform to showcase simple and delicious ideas to make turkey an everyday protein choice. This will include highlighting Jennie-O’s high-quality products, cooking solutions, recipes and resources for consumers everywhere to make any meal fun, flavorful and easy.
“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the most iconic and cherished events of the year that coincides with a very important time for our brand,” said Nicole Behne, vice president marketing, Jennie-O Turkey Store Inc. “In a year when family bonds and giving thanks are more important than ever, no matter where you are, we are thrilled to join the Parade to help create new memories, traditions and entertainment for viewers everywhere.”
“Each year, the parade team creates new imaginative stages, captivating millions all over the country on Thanksgiving morning,” said Jordan Dabby, producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “Jennie-O, will be the first turkey brand to introduce a float in the Macy’s Parade with the debut of the Big Turkey Spectacular, set to entertain and delight families nationwide as they gather to celebrate the start of the holiday season.”
Additionally, to celebrate and commemorate the occasion, Jennie-O is announcing the launch of a brand-new social media campaign called the “Turkey Day Spectacular Sweepstakes” that will encourage fans to join the fun by creating and sharing their own homemade Parade floats. All designs submitted to the company’s website or Facebook, Instagram or Twitter social channels with the hashtags #MacysParade and #TurkeyDaySpectacular will be entered for a chance to win a trip to experience the parade in person in 2021.
For more details, visit www.jennieo.com.
During the holiday season, Jennie-O will continue offering the 1-800-TURKEYS hotline beginning Nov. 2, 2020, to consumers everywhere for advice on a variety of topics like techniques for cooking a turkey, wine and drink pairings, leftover recipe inspiration, and — most importantly — what it takes to avoid the most common kitchen disasters that can wreak havoc on Thanksgiving Day, the company added.
Consumers also have the ability to ask their turkey prep questions via live chat at the Jennie-O website and via mobile device by texting the word “Turkey” to 73876. Additionally, consumers can track their fresh or frozen Jennie-O whole turkey back to its originating farm through the Turkey Tracker. From calculators that tell the host how much turkey to buy, to full menus for Thanksgiving dinner and inspiring suggestions for preparing tasty leftovers, Jennie-O offers easy solutions for any holiday meal, the company added.
