With a drop off in tea drinking across the UK, Tetley needed to find a way to reconnect with the nation. In fact, since 1974 the number of cups Brits drink has fallen from 23 per week to just 8. And Tetley in particular had lost a lot of love. Our research revealed that the brand performed poorly on perceptions of ‘quality’, ‘difference’ and ‘worth paying more for’. One thing was clear – Tetley needed to turn the tide.
Whilst it was clear that some things weren’t working, a brand with such a rich heritage needed to be treated with respect – protecting what’s loved and refreshing what’s not. So first we needed to understand what it was that made Tetley so iconic.
Consumers were really feeling blue. In fact, our research showed that wherever an asset included blue, awareness skyrocketed. And with no brand owning any colour in the category this was a clear opportunity. We also uncovered that ‘The Tea Folk’ still hold a special place in the minds of people, despite the brand feeling they anchored them in the past. We needed to find a way to utilise their strength whilst bringing them into the future.
We then dug deeper into the truth behind tea.
Whilst the world of tea had changed around Tetley, the habits and rituals that sit at the heart of tea had remained. The act of making tea for someone is an act of service. It’s how we welcome people into our homes, it’s how we prepare for a quality catch up and it’s how we show somebody some support. It says I’m here for you. It says let’s gossip. It says you’ve got this.
It’s not about the tea. It’s about what making the tea means.
This became the driving force in both our strategy and creative, leading us to our concept of ‘quality connections’.
Because sharing a moment over a cuppa is about much more than the tea. It’s about taking time. To listen, to laugh, to chat. From your bestie to your brother. It’s an invitation to press pause, stir a little love into the everyday and enjoy a good brew in good company.
This concept flowed across all our decisions on identity development. Breathing new love into old assets with ‘connection’ being the cornerstone in development. Working with lettering artist Oli Frape, we were able to bring this concept to life with an evolved brandmark, all whilst maintaining what made it distinct.
In the words of our client, “Epoch demonstrated a deep understanding of the need to modernise the Tetley brand while thoughtfully preserving its rich heritage.”
But most importantly, did our take on Tetley provide the refreshing results it was so thirsty for?
According to Kantar BrandZ’s 2024 Most Valuable UK Brands report, Tetley became the country’s 43rd most valuable brand, the 3rd highest food and beverage brand, and the highest ranked hot beverage brand. The study also found Tetley’s brand value rose by £608m between 2023 and 2024, an incredible +65%.
Source: Epoch
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