Lipton® is putting the spotlight on its iconic black tea to encourage consumers to "Drink Positive" in 2013. As part of this effort, the brand unveiled a new national advertising campaign for its classic black tea, a first in over 20 years. The multi-channel campaign includes television, digital, in store, social, public relations and a worldwide contest on Instagram.
According to the release, since being first introduced by Sir Thomas Lipton in 1879, Lipton black tea has shaped and defined the tea category. And while tea enthusiasts are trying new varieties and flavors, black tea continues to be at the forefront, owning eighty-five percent of all consumption, followed by green (14 percent), oolong and white teas. "With approximately half of the American population drinking tea on a daily basis, we saw a fit for today's lifestyle with the leaf that started it all," said Alfie Vivian, vice president refreshments, Unilever North America, in a prepared statement.
The new black tea campaign was created to give new and loyal consumers an uplifting reason to go back to basics and drink black tea on more than just an occasional basis. Lipton's new 15-second spot, airing on network and cable TV, shows black tea as providing that uplifting moment amidst hectic, daily lives. This is all captured perfectly in the tagline: Drink Lipton and you'll be surprised at how great you feel.
This surprisingly great feeling is supported by research that shows how black tea's hydrating benefits and natural caffeine provide a gentle boost to help consumers stay energized throughout the day. This is especially crucial for today's hectic consumers, who are time-stretched and stressed. In fact, sixty-nine percent of U.S. employees report that work is a significant source of stress and more than half of adults report that family responsibilities are a significant source of stress.
"A daily Lipton tea break is something good we can all do for ourselves to give us that moment to de-stress, refresh and refocus within our hectic lifestyles," stated Vivian. "Lipton tea can help you feel great any time, which is why we are encouraging consumers to make tea drinking a daily habit."
Lipton is also uplifting the tea shopping experience with new packaging that features a more vibrant "Lipton Yellow" to make the pack easier to find on shelf. Inside the box, Lipton now adds fresh pressed tea leaves to its new great tasting blend so consumers can enjoy their tea experience from the very first sip.
Additionally, the brand is inviting fans to share their uplifting moments in 2013. Lipton is launching a global photo challenge, where people around the world can creatively and visually share the uplifting benefits of tea via Instagram. Participating countries include Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the United States. "The #Liptagram global photo challenge is the first for the brand and we are thrilled to get our passionate tea fans worldwide to create these one-of-a-kind images through Instagram and see Lipton through a different lens," said Vivian.
From Feb. 4 to March 2, consumers can upload images through Instagram, the world's largest photo sharing application, based on inspirational weekly keywords, including uplifting, excitement, spontaneous and brightness, and tag the image with #Lipton. All images will be automatically uploaded into a dedicated application on Facebook.com/Lipton. One grand prize winner will win an all-expense paid trip to Kenya for two, to visit Lipton's Rainforest Alliance certified tea estates. Twelve additional winners, who will be identified throughout the course of the challenge, will each receive a tablet.
