To grow, Yorkshire Tea must win shoppers from other UK tea brands, and so advertising must convince drinkers it is a better brew.

However, UK consumers are not interested in a lecture about how tea is made, so our strategy is to communicate Yorkshire’s quality more emotionally, through the idea that Yorkshire Tea is a place ‘Where everything is done proper’. After all, if the small jobs (like a leaving speech) are done well, the big job of making the tea must be done brilliantly.

This ad is the latest in a long-running campaign, designed to cut through to tea drinkers, raise the brand’s salience and increase their chance of choosing it during their next shop.

The film begins in the Yorkshire Tea HQ where a man is announcing the departure of ‘Tina’ to a group of colleagues. He then says, ‘But before you go, Patrick has a few words….’

‘Patrick’ is revealed to be Sir Patrick Stewart, the famous actor, who rises from a chair in the corner and delivers a heartfelt leaving speech for Tina. He muses on the hollow emptiness she will leave at the company. Holding her hands, he tells her that their love, dreams and wishes ride with her. It’s a speech that literally brings tears to the eyes.

Patrick then tells everyone ‘And we’re having a pint at the Dog and Trumpet. Apparently, there’s a tab behind the bar.’ The staff excitedly throw on their coats and hurry out.

The ad ends with a shot of the Yorkshire Tea HQ and the VO says: ‘Yorkshire Tea. Where everything’s done proper.’

The ‘Leaving Speech’ ad has cut through to tea drinkers, with 80% say ad is memorable, 72% saying it makes them laugh and 82% saying they like it.

81% of those who’ve seen the ad correctly attribute it Yorkshire Tea. This is an incredibly high attribution score given that the ad has only been on air for a few bursts.

The dominant message taken out of the ad is the idea that Yorkshire Tea ‘Do things proper’ and therefore make better tea. It is delivering its intended message.

And that is attracting people to the brand. 54% agree it makes them want to find out more about YT.

No wonder that in the 7 months since ‘Leaving Speech’ has been on air, Yorkshire Tea has increased its volume share of the UK tea market by 0.6.

(Sources: The Nursery Brand Tracking / Kantar Worldpanel IRI).