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FMBX News
Posted: Feb 5, 2011
Yorkshire Tea sampling TV advert premieres
(to see the advert in advance of the TV premiere, scroll down)
A recent survey conducted by Yorkshire Tea almost one fifth of Brits abroad claimed they missed a proper cup of tea even more than their own family back home!
Ever since they set up their Facebook page, Yorkshire Tea said they have been inundated with messages from Brits abroad lamenting the lack of a decent cuppa.
Yorkshire Tea's sampling van Little Urn has embarked on his biggest mission yet. Until very recently, the furthest Little Urn had ever travelled from his home in Harrogate was to Guernsey. Now, he is taking the biggest journey of his life: a road trip from LA to New York City to take a proper brew to British expats along the way.
After a slightly longer than planned stay in customs (US Officials weren’t quite sure what to make of him) he is now on the road out there until 28th February 2011.
Traditionally social media tends to follow a big broadcast campaign. But this campaign is a genuine response to the conversations that were already happening in social media – putting Yorkshire Tea’s customers at the heart of its conception. Not only that, but the road trip is being directed in real time as Yorkshire tea respond to requests for a proper brew to expats all over America – so the whole two months will be fuelled and directed by Yorkshire Tea’s Facebook friends. Facebook keeps a running record of where Urn has been and who he has visited and encourages people to request a visit. And its already had quite an effect!
With so many expats missing the taste of Britain's most precious liquid, Little Urn’s diary is already quite full. One of his first stops was Cesars Palace in Vegas where he took a brew to Matt Goss (of Bros fame) before his show. Other expats he is due to meet include Rochelle Peachy, who set up ‘iloveyouraccent.com’ a dating website for Brits and Americans to get to know each other; Suzy, a brit who works as a registrar at Vegas’ Gothic Chapel; the Daughters of the British Empire group in Florida; a group of Brit Bikers living in LA; Brit traders on Wall Street; British Morris Dancers in San Fransisco; and John Thucket – a self confessed Yorkshire Tea fan and proud Yorkshireman – who has lived in the US for 22 years. He will be having a proper brew with these expats and finding out what life is like on the other side of the Atlantic for them.
Little Urn is also finding time to meet some of his Facebook friends from across the pond. He has already met Essex born Kate Haffenden in Hollywood who asked if Little Urn would come and visit her and her husband. Little Urn is currently on the look out for any more Facebook fans along his route.
Yorkshire Tea and their advertising agency, Beattie McGuinness Bungay, are creating a TV campaign out of the road trip, with the first ad due to launch in a 60” spot in Coronation street on 7th February. People can also watch online webisodes of Little Urn’s journey and the stories of the expats he meets at Facebook.com/Yorkshiretea.
Richard Tolley, interim marketing director at Taylors of Harrogate, said: 'Consumers will influence the content of the TV ads. The ads will reflect their engagement [on Facebook and Twitter] and encourage further participation.'
Ben Walker, Creative Director, said:
“It's lovely to be working on a project where social media is playing such a key role. Yorkshire Tea already has a loyal online band and we want them to help with some of the driving”.
In a further creative twist, Little Urn is being driven across the States by 10 of the brands 400 employees, in shifts. The campaign is sure to engage employees and be open to continuation and legacy.
Tolley told Fieldmarketing.com "One of guys from the production line is involved. He said that he was happy "to go the extra mile" for the brand!"
Speaking minutes after the first TV advert was finalised an excited Tolley was enjoying being immersed in such an immediate campaign. "I selected one of two possible voiceovers just seconds before the final advert had to be compete", he said. The scheduling has been tight throughout so that the TV is as fresh and real to the brand fans as the tea has tasted to thirsty ex-pats.
The agencies behind the campaign are Krux Strategy, Beaty McGuinness Bungay, Pulse (film production) and Mediacom North.
