New generations of consumers aged 18 to 35 don’t see tea as an option for them. Associating the drink with their grandmothers and, instead, opting for coffee, craft beers and new non-alcoholic substitutes.

We needed to reposition Tetley in the minds of these new generations. Lifting it out of a stuffy category with an irreverent attitude that highlighted its ability to facilitate human connection. The kind of connection that young people in particular love to indulge in most – sharing gossip, secrets, revelations - all things overheard. And that the ritual of making and sharing tea creates the perfect opportunity for.

Our posters show people caught in the act of “spilling the tea” over a cup of Tetley. The vibrant, visually elaborate environments are designed to compete for our distracted audience’s attention. As well as convey the power of tea to completely immerse those sharing it, in the moment.

When you have a particularly juicy piece of gossip brewing it can be almost impossible to stay quiet. You get the urge to release the pressure, just like a boiling kettle.

In our film, a woman whistling like a kettle signals that she has an urgent piece of gossip to divulge. Her flatmate spies a clue to what's brewing with a look into the living room. This only encourages the whistling to get louder and more intense, which the flatmate takes as a cue to get out the Tetley and, as the brand platform suggests - Spill The Tea. The Tetley is poured, the whistling woman's whistle dies out and we hear the beginnings of what's brewing.

The campaign has only just gone live (23 Feb 2023), and it will take 1-2 years to see tangible results.

Success for us looks like:

Affinity: Our new, younger segment thinks ‘this is the brand for me’ because it feels relevant

Preference: Maintain preference among current loyalists (older segment)

Consideration: Increase overall consideration from 51% to 55% by 2024

Defy Category Decline: Increase consumption of black tea among 20-35yo