Case Study: Tyson Foods: Social Media Engagement for Cause Branding and Community Building Presented by: Ed Nicholson, Director of Community and Public Relations, Tyson Foods, Inc. Tyson Foods has become a corporate leader in the fight against hunger by engaging key stakeholders through social media channels. Tyson uses social media channels to not only spotlight the company’s own work in hunger relief, but to also build community by creating awareness of the issue of hunger and those involved. www.bdionline.com

1. Social Media Engagement for Cause
Branding and Community Building
Ed Nicholson, Director of Community Relations
http://twitter.com/TysonFoods
http://hungerrelief.tyson.com

2. Strategies
•Establish the company as a thought leader in the
cause of hunger
•Grow a community that will recognize our voice
as credible—and might defend us when we need it.
•Leverage our in-kind donations toward more than
publicity.

3. Strategies
•Engage employees in very productive and visible
ways 107K in U.S.
•Makes them feel good about the company.
•Creates people dedicated to the cause.
• Is another step toward being more authentically
involved; humanizing the brand.

4. Strategies
•Utilize our communications resources to create
awareness and build community around the issue.
Social networking tools are particularly effective
toward this end.
•More than a “campaign” for us.

5. Strategies
Leverage donations to generate more awareness of the
issue of hunger and of people and orgs. Create events
that inform about the issue and recognize those who
are working to address it.

6. Tyson hunger relief strategy
•Began formally working in hunger relief in
2000.
•Prior to had donated food; also involved in
many other worthy philanthropic efforts.
•Early approach was very focused; ego-
centric; brand protective.

7. Tyson hunger relief strategy—brand-centric early approach

8. Tyson hunger relief strategy—how it evolved—what we learned
•There is a phenomenal community already
engaged in the issue
•Inspiring people
•Great room for more online connections
•Can’t be accepted into the community
overnight. Can’t “buy” your way in
•As our people became engaged, our
culture—our expectations changed
•Became more collaborative, more
outwardly-focused

9. Recent Approach---More collaborative, outwardly-focused

10. Http://HungerRelief.Tyson.com
Online in 2007
Goals—
• Tell stories of people working in hunger relief—
Ours and others’—Archive those stories.
• Expand awareness of and engagement in the
issue
• Help bring the existing community involved in
hunger relief online

11. The Hunger Community
•National organizations—SOS, Feeding America
•Policy Advocates—FRAC, Cong. Hunger Center
•Lawmakers—House and Cong. Hunger Caucus,
Sen. Blanche Lincoln
•Local organizations—Food banks
•Local agencies
•Inspired, inspiring individuals—Hunger All-Stars

12. The blog – Hunger All-Stars

13. Hunger All-Stars

14. Hunger All-Star

15. Social Media Informing and Validating

16. Http://HungerRelief.Tyson.com – Live blogging

17. Engaging employees – RAGBRAI

18. Engaging the community

19. Engaging the community

20. Engaging and contributing to the community

21. The blog –Guest posts

22. Tools – Flickr

23. Tools – YouTube

24. Tools--Twitter

25. Tools—Google Maps

26. Tools—Facebook

27. Engaging and informing—Comment for Food Efforts

28. Engaging and informing—Comment for Food Efforts

29. Engaging and informing—WeCanEndThis
C

31. Is this stuff worth the effort? How we evaluate.
• Online activity: Site traffic, blog posts, Twitter and
Facebook activity
• Continually updated archive of Tyson’s activity within
the issue
• Reputation and relationships--

32. The tools will continue to evolve
Relationships and reputations
transcend and survive
technology changes.
There’s continuity in community.

33. Questions? Complaints?
Suggestions?
http://twitter.com/TysonFoods
http://twitter.com/ederdn
ed.nicholson@tyson.com