Tea drinking is a British institution, with over 165 million cups of tea drunk everyday. Yorkshire brothers Joseph and Edward Tetley founded Tetley Tea over 175 years ago – and it was Tetley who introduced tea bags to the UK back in the 1950s. They were the first to use perforated tissue for teabags in the 1960s, and in the 1980s, Tetley launched the first round tea bag. Today, a staggering 36 million cups of Tetley are drunk each day.
The Tetley Tea Folk
You can’t talk about Tetley Tea without talking about their iconic Tetley Tea Folk who have been lighting up UK screens since 1973. Since their inception over four decades ago, the Tetley Tea Folk have become a true British institution. Fun, friendly and down-to-earth, Gaffer, Sydney and Tina are the much-loved face of a quality cup of tea.
It’s been 40 years since Gaffer first brewed up and charmed a generation with his gentle Northern humour, but the Tetley Tea Folk are back on the boil! This time, the much-loved animated characters have left their tea factory and will be unveiled to the nation as diplomatic heroes acting in the face of intergalactic tyranny when the new ad airs on Saturday 25th January, all part of a campaign designed to show the difference ‘a good brew’ can make.
The message is simple - in the midst of busy, often pressure filled lifestyles, it’s time for us all to stop and share a little quality time over a mug of the UK’s favourite hot drink. I couldn’t agree more – so here I am in my very own Gaffer hat!
To mark the return of the Tetley Tea Folk this week-end, here are some significant numbers in the history of these adored characters.
1. Over 34 billion – billion! – cups of tea are consumed in the UK every year
2. Tetley tea is consumed in 10 million kitchens across Britain and 36 million cups of Tetley are drunk each day
3. 1973: Gaffer brews up for the first time on UK TV screens (that’s four decades ago!)
4. 67: the number of TV ads that the Tetley Tea Folk have starred in since 1973
5. 30m Tetley Tea Folk items sold to tea lovers… … in 5m homes around the world
6. 1990: an Elvis-inspired Gaffer celebrates the launch of the Round Bag!
7. 2001: The Tetley Tea Folk take a ‘tea break’ from our TV screens
8. 2010: Gaffers leads their return with a brand new look!
9. 100% Natural… Tetley tea leaves are simply picked, cut and dried – nothing is added and each blend is quality tested at least 8 times!
10. 175 years of Tetley Black / Original being one of the nation’s favourite great tasting cuppa’s
Have you had YOUR cup of tea today?
If not … make time, make Tetley!
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