PG Tips facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
PG Tips

Product type	Tea
Owner	Lipton Teas and Infusions
Country	United Kingdom
Introduced	1930; 95 years ago (1930)

PG Tips is a popular brand of tea in the United Kingdom. It is made by a company called Lipton Teas and Infusions.

The Story Behind the PG Tips Name

In the 1930s, a company called Brooke Bond first sold this tea. They called it Pre-Gestee. This name came from "Digestive Tea." It suggested the tea could help with digestion before you ate. Shopkeepers and salespeople soon started calling it "PG" for short.

After World War II, rules changed. Tea could no longer be advertised as helping digestion. So, by 1950, the name "PG" was officially adopted. The company then added the word Tips. This is because PG Tips tea uses only the best parts of the tea plant. They use the top two leaves and the bud, which are called "tips."

What Kinds of PG Tips Can You Find?

Today, you won't see "Brooke Bond" on the packaging. The tea is simply known as PG Tips. You can buy PG Tips in different forms. It comes as loose tea, in tea bags, and even for vending machines. There's also a "Special Blend" tea. This special tea was first made for the brand's 75th birthday. It is only sold in tea bags.

The tea leaves for PG Tips come from all over the world. They are brought in large amounts to a factory in Trafford Park, Greater Manchester. Here, expert tea tasters mix them carefully. Their special mix, called blend 777, can have anywhere from 12 to 35 different teas. This depends on the time of year.

The Evolution of Tea Bags

In 1985, PG Tags were introduced. These were tea bags with a string attached. Then, in 1996, PG Tips launched "Pyramid Bags." These tea bags are shaped like a pyramid. This shape helps the tea leaves move around more freely. It's like how loose tea moves in a teapot. This movement is supposed to make the tea taste better.

One package from 2011 explained it well. It said the pyramid tea bag gives leaves 50% more room. This helps all the fresh flavor come out. Later, during the "T-Birds" advertising time, these pyramid bags were improved. They used a "freeflow" material for even better tea brewing.

In 2023, PG Tips announced a new quick-brew tea bag. It can make a cup of tea in just 60 seconds! These new bags are square, which means the pyramid bags are no longer made.

Special Blends for Different Places

In Scotland, Lipton Teas and Infusions sells a special PG Tips blend. It's called Scottish Blend. This tea is made to taste best with the soft water found in Scotland. In Ireland, the same company sells tea under the Lyons brand.

Around 2011, a "Special Moments" range was released. These teas were made by pressing the leaves at different times. In 2014, PG Tips also started offering fruit, herbal, and green teas.

Fun Advertising Campaigns

Brooke Bond, the original company, knew how important advertising was. They used slogans like, "Good tea unites good company." This showed how tea could bring people together.

The Chimpanzee Family (1956–2002)

Starting in 1956, PG Tips became famous for its TV ads. These ads featured human-like chimpanzees. They dressed in human clothes and were known as the "Tipps family." Famous people like Peter Sellers and Bob Monkhouse often did their voices. By 1958, PG Tips became the top tea brand in Britain. These chimpanzees came from Twycross Zoo.

Some groups complained about using animals in ads. So, the chimpanzee ads stopped in the 1970s. But sales dropped, so the chimpanzees returned 18 months later. The last "Tipps family" ad aired in January 2002. These chimpanzee ads were so popular they even led to trading cards and figurines.

The T-Birds (2002–2005)

In 2002, the chimpanzees were replaced by a new group. These were claymation birds called the T-Birds. They lived in a house together. The birds were Tom the owl, Maggie the pigeon, Pete the starling, and Holly the blue tit. They were animated by Aardman, the studio that made Wallace and Gromit.

PG Tips worked with the movie Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit in 2005. They offered Gromit mugs with their tea packs. This helped PG Tips sales go up by 600%! Wallace and Gromit even appeared in an ad with another character from the film.

In 2005, PG Tips celebrated its 75th birthday. They released special packs, including a limited-edition Golden pack. They even made a very expensive Diamond tea bag. It cost £7,500 and was made with rare tea and jewels!

Monkey and Al (2007–2024)

In 2007, PG Tips brought back the character Monkey. Monkey had been in ads for ITV Digital before. In the new ads, Monkey teamed up with actor Johnny Vegas, who played a character named Al. Monkey was voiced by Ben Miller. Monkey often reminded everyone that he was a monkey, not a chimpanzee. This was a fun nod to the old chimpanzee ads.

One famous ad was a funny version of a scene from the movie When Harry Met Sally.... Monkey described the tea by saying "Oh Yes" many times. Another ad showed Monkey and Al acting like characters from the TV show Dad's Army. This ad talked about a natural ingredient in tea called theanine.

When the "Special Moments" teas came out, Monkey and Al advertised them too. In one ad, Monkey was carried away by an eagle while Al tried to describe the tea's taste!

In 2015, PG Tips showed Monkey with a rainbow flag. This was to support same-sex marriage. Later, in 2017, PG Tips used Monkey in a Facebook Messenger chatbot. People could chat with Monkey and get jokes to help raise money for charity. In May 2024, PG Tips announced that Monkey was retiring.

A Tale of Two Continents (Short Film)

In March 2008, a short film called A Tale of Two Continents was released. It was an adventure film that made fun of other movies. Monkey starred in it, wanting to "change the world one tea at a time." It was shown in cinemas before family movies like The Spiderwick Chronicles.

You could also get the film for free with special PG Tips packs. It came on an EcoDisc, which is a thin, flexible type of DVD. These special packs also included a tea towel with the film's cover.

PG Tips and Important Campaigns

In May 2007, Unilever, the company that owns PG Tips, made a big promise. They said they would get all their tea from sustainable sources. This means the tea is grown in a way that protects the environment. They worked with the Rainforest Alliance, an environmental group. Since April 2012, all PG Tips tea has been certified by the Rainforest Alliance.

In February 2011, PG Tips also announced something important. They would stop testing their teas on animals.

Famous Slogans

• "Keep it tea" (Monkey)
• "You, me and a cup of PG" (Al and Monkey)
• "How would you describe the taste?" (Al and Monkey)
• "Do your bit, put the kettle on" (Al and Monkey)
• "We All Need a PG Moment" (used during the T-Birds era)
• "There's no other tea to beat PG" (later chimpanzee ads), followed by "It's the taste!" spoken by a chimpanzee
• "Dad, do you know the piano's on my foot?" Mr Shifter: You hum it son, I'll play it!
• "Avez-vous un cuppa?" (Tour De France)
• "It's the Tea you can really Taste" (Earlier chimpanzee ads)

See also

• Tetley, a main competitor of PG Tips
• Lipton, another tea brand from the same company as PG Tips
• Typhoo, a popular tea brand in the UK
• Pukka Herbs, a company making organic herbal teas, also owned by Ekaterra