Political Storm In A Teacup

Mediacom-Release-Choysa-Tea

New Zealand's classic tea brand Choysa is co-starring with another household name in a cheeky new television commercial intended to stir up a quality issue.

In the commercial, being launched in prime time this evening, Kiwi brand icon Choysa Tea will invite consumers to compare the contents of Choysa Tea Bags with other branded tea bags.

"By making this commercial, we wanted to show consumers that not all tea bags are created equal," says Bernadette Wake, Business Development Manager, Unilever Foods. "We wanted to demonstrate in a fun way that there are significant differences in quality between teabags and illustrate that Choysa Tea Bags are of superior quality and great value for money. Consumers will be able to see this for themselves in the advertisement."

How do consumers recognise good quality tea?

Good quality teas are manufactured from the tender most two leaves and bud of the tea plant. If processed properly, this gives tea a good flavour and appearance.

Roderick de Sylva, Unilever's Tea Buyer and Blender says, "If tea has been too coarsely picked it contains stalk and twigs that adversely affect appearance and flavour. Although most teas do contain a minimal amount of stalk (which is light in colour), the more there is, the poorer is the quality of the tea. For a first- class `cuppa' consumers should be looking for a dark dry leaf appearance and when brewed, a bright orange colour; qualities that are self-evident in Choysa," added de Sylva.

The 30-second television commercial, created by Singleton Ogilvy & Mather, stars Winston Peters showing viewers the contents of two tea bags and comparing their differences. The advertisement invites viewers to try the test at home and suggests that, "If what you find leaves you stewing.perhaps you should give someone a tinkle." Peters then sits back with a wry grin and takes a sip from his cup of Choysa tea.

Robyn Powell, Creative Group Head at Singleton Ogilvy & Mather says, "Winston Peters was a real coup as the person to front the Choysa commercial, due to his history of investigating and unearthing the truth. What's more he is an avid tea drinker, like so many of us."

Background on Choysa Tea

For over 90 years Choysa tea has been synonymous with the New Zealand `cuppa', recognised as a Kiwi icon, part of our way of life and a reminder of home.

Choysa is one of New Zealand's favourite teas, renowned as much for its superior quality as its distinctive packaging. The unique bright red and yellow wrapping with its characteristic rugby shaped oval is familiar to generations of New Zealanders.

The Choysa brand was first registered in 1909, although it had been sold for some years before that. Until the 1950s there was no such thing as a national tea brand, and Choysa was the first tea to be marketed nationwide in New Zealand.

Tea Facts & Figures * In NZ about 355 cups of tea are consumed each year per head of population * Each NZ household on averages buys tea about every 3 and a half weeks * Tea is consumed by 52% of adults, making tea one of the three most popular beverages for adults. * 24% of adults drink only tea, 32% drink only coffee, 27% drink both tea and coffee and 17% drink neither * The NZ tea market is worth about $50 million

ends

© Scoop Media