Tyson Foods Brand Reputation and Perception Study

Objective

• Measure overall brand favorability, trust, and purchase consideration across both consumer and B2B audiences.
• Evaluate brand associations, such as sustainability, innovation, animal welfare, nutrition, and inclusion.
• Understand key market differences in values and expectations between the U.S. and China.
• Benchmark Tyson vs. peer companies (e.g., Unilever, Kraft Heinz) in terms of reputation and performance.
• Validate brand messaging and identify opportunity areas for strategic communications and CSR investments.

Research Approach

a. Multi-Audience Survey Framework

The survey targeted a diverse and segmented audience to generate 360° insights:

b. Vertically Integrated Methodology

• Localized recruitment and screening for robust demographic and behavioral profiling.
• Use of split samples, message testing blocks, and hidden randomization tables for clean analytics.
• Custom quota and segmentation filters ensured demographic representativeness (e.g., region, generation, race/ethnicity, income, industry). 

c. Module Overview

1. Demographics & Media Habits
2. Environmental & Ethical Attitudes
3. Dietary Choices & Protein Beliefs
4. Food Production & Animal Welfare Opinions
5. Brand Funnel & Familiarity
6. ETM (Earned Trust Metrics) vs. Unilever
7. Open-Ended Brand Associations
8. News Recall & Sentiment
9. Brand Attribution & Purpose Perception

Sampling & Qualification Criteria

Geo Quotas Applied: U.S. regional split (Northeast, Midwest, South, West); China region stratification across 30+ provinces

Key Insights

a. Brand Funnel Metrics – Tyson Foods

• Top awareness and familiarity across both markets, particularly in the U.S. among Gen X and Boomers.
• Net favorability significantly stronger among:
  • U.S. Informed Public
  • U.S. Opinion Leaders focused on nutrition and sustainability
• Purchase consideration slightly lower among younger Gen Z and plant-based eaters in both regions.

b. Trust & Values (ETM)

• Tyson Foods was viewed as:
  • Trustworthy by 68% of U.S. respondents (vs. 74% for Unilever)
  • Committed to social good by 61% of U.S. respondents (vs. 67% for Unilever)
  • Lagging slightly in perceived transparency and innovation in China compared to Unilever

c. Brand Attribution Strengths

Tyson was associated with:

• Food accessibility and nutrition
• Commitment to local communities
• Support for diverse populations

…but showed weaker perceptions around:

• Sustainability innovation
• Environmental leadership
• Purpose-led mission clarity 

d. Protein & Food Ethics

• 80%+ in both countries agreed protein is essential, but plant-based options are gaining traction:
  • ~35% of Gen Z respondents listed blended protein as preferred
  • Flexitarian and vegetarian lifestyles were more prevalent among U.S. opinion leaders
• Animal welfare concerns (e.g., humane treatment, pain-free sourcing) rated as high as climate change in importance 

e. Public Perceptions of Food Companies

• Respondents favored "natural", "local", "non-GMO", and "antibiotic-free" attributes
• Brands like Tyson were expected to lead on:
  • Reducing single-use plastic
  • Ethical farming practices
  • Fair labor and community support 

f. Message Resonance

• Tyson’s association with Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean, and Raised & Rooted lifted favorability in U.S. segments
• Sustainability and innovation-related messaging had highest impact on younger and informed segments

Strategic Recommendations

Impact

This study enabled Tyson Foods to:

• Validate its equity position among stakeholders across two global growth markets.
• Refine messaging and audience segmentation for upcoming brand campaigns, policy engagements, and sustainability reports.
• Benchmark its reputation metrics against top competitors and identify clear paths for improvement in innovation and transparency.

Outcome: Data used to develop a reputation dashboard for quarterly tracking, with direct linkage to media planning and ESG communication strategies.