Birchall Tea Launches Campaign to Alter British Tea Habits

Birchall Tea is spearheading an ambitious marketing campaign aimed at persuading British tea drinkers to reassess their entrenched purchasing habits. With the campaign marking its largest investment to date, Birchall is committing £1 million into its first television advertisement, complemented by a series of short films filmed in East Africa.

According to research commissioned by Birchall and conducted by YouGov, over 40% of UK tea consumers consistently purchase the same brand, with merely 6% actively seeking higher-quality varieties. The tendency to stick to familiar brands is particularly strong among the over-55 age group, where 40% report unchanged purchasing habits, contrasting with 20% among those aged 25 to 34.

The campaign's centerpiece is a six-part film series shot in Rwanda and Kenya, portraying the landscapes and communities involved in East African tea cultivation. These films highlight the efforts behind tea production and form a 13-minute narrative titled ‘the story behind every cup’.

Birchall, known for its Great Rift Breakfast Tea, aims to elevate the perception of tea to that of specialty coffee, by emphasizing taste, quality, and origin, as stated by the company's founder and managing director, Dan Graham. The TV advertisement, launching on ITV1, will be supported by digital content, social media efforts, and in-store activities at retailers Waitrose and Ocado during September.

Graham expressed hope that the campaign would draw more attention to the complexity and richness of tea, encouraging consumers to explore beyond the common teabag and appreciate the unique narrative accompanying each brew.