Tetley Tea Folk facts for kids
The Tetley Tea Folk are fun animated characters. They were used to advertise Tetley Tea for many years. You might have seen them on TV from 1973 to 2001, and then again from 2010 to 2016.
Contents
The Story of the Tea Folk
The idea for the Tetley Tea Folk came from a Canadian writer named John McGill Lewis in 1973. He worked for an advertising company called McCann Erickson. Peter Rigby, an art director, drew the first characters. Then, a studio called Wyatt Cattaneo brought them to life as animations. Tony Cattaneo and Ramon Modiano were key animators for characters like Gaffer and Sidney.
In the beginning, the adverts mixed animation with real-life objects. They used actual tea bags, cups, and saucers. Ramon Modiano was the main animator during these early years. The famous "Tea Folk" song was created by Ken Jones (music) and J. M. Lewis (lyrics).
Later, in the late 1970s, a new advertising company, D'Arcy, Mac Manus and Macius, took over. They created the well-known slogan, "That's Better. That's Tetley." This line was written by Jack Stephens and was used for over 18 years! Animator Richard Olive then worked on the Tea Folk adverts.
There have been 67 animated TV adverts featuring the Tea Folk. They also appeared in newspapers, magazines, on tea packs, and online. Over 30 million Tea Folk items have been sold! You can find these items in more than five million homes across the United Kingdom.
Famous Sayings and Songs
The Tea Folk adverts are very memorable in Britain. Some of their famous lines include:
- Tetley make tea bags make tea.
- That's Better. That's Tetley.
- Only Tetley will do.
- ‘’Tetley bags all the flavour.”
These catchy phrases, along with the original Tetley song, made the adverts easy to recognize. They also used popular songs like Bill Withers’ "Lovely Day" and Irving Berlin’s "Keep Me Warm".
Many talented actors gave voices to the characters. For a long time, Brian Glover was the voice of Gaffer. Later, Bobby Knutt took over. George Layton, from the TV show Sunburn, voiced Sidney. The Tetley Tea Folk even ranked No. 40 in Channel 4's 100 Greatest TV Ads.
Why the Tea Folk Left
In 2001, Tetley decided to change their advertising. They wanted to attract younger tea drinkers. So, the Tea Folk were replaced with new campaigns.
However, in July 2002, Tetley announced that their tea sales dropped a lot after the Tea Folk left.
The Tea Folk Come Back!
After being away for nine years, the Tetley Tea Folk returned on June 30, 2010! Tetley wanted them back to help win back the title of 'Britain's Best Tea Brand'.
The first new advert was shown on September 20, 2010. It showed a Tetley employee spilling tea, which magically woke the Tea Folk from their long sleep. The next advert showed the Tea Folk exploring the factory. They were amazed by new products like Red bush, Green, and Extra Strong tea.
On January 25, 2014, the Tea Folk returned again, this time as computer-animated (CGI) characters. In one advert, they accidentally stopped an alien invasion by offering the aliens tea! In December 2014, Gaffer, Sydney, and Tina stopped a medieval battle by giving everyone tea. From 2013 to 2016, Channel 5 even had a sponsorship with Tetley. This showed Gaffer and Sydney in CGI, making fun of different movie types.
The very last advert with the Tea Folk was in January 2016. In it, Gaffer sang about how many famous British moments, like Winston Churchill, rock and roll, and the Spirit of '66, wouldn't have happened without tea.
Meet the Characters
Gaffer
Gaffer is the boss of the Tetley Tea Folk. He started as a Tea Boy and worked his way up! He was the first Tea Folk character to appear in an advert in 1973. Gaffer is a bit of a perfectionist. He takes his job very seriously because making the best cup of tea is a big responsibility.
Sydney
Sydney first appeared in 1975. He is a kind and gentle character. Sydney is always ready to help with a perfectly made cup of Tetley tea, especially when things are tough. He might not be the smartest, but his good heart and funny mistakes make everyone love him.
For a while, Sydney went missing, which led to a famous advertising campaign asking, "Where's Sydney?"
Maurice
Maurice joined the Tea Folk in 1982. He is the inventor! Maurice is a genius with machines. His inventions help Tetley stay modern with tea technology. He is usually quiet and practical, but he often has brilliant ideas. Maurice is always trying to make Tetley tea even better.
Clarence
Clarence first appeared in 1988. He was originally the "Waker Upper," making sure all the hard-working Tea Folk got to work on time. Clarence is fun, happy, and full of energy. He's a young, cheeky character. Sometimes his excitement gets him into a little trouble, but Gaffer always kindly helps him learn. When it comes to making tea, Clarence is a serious and hard worker.
Gordon
Gordon, who first appeared in 1989, is the Tea Folk gardener. He is quiet, gentle, and reliable. Gordon lovingly takes care of the Tetley Tea Garden. He knows a lot about tea and gardening. He even grew the special Tetley Tea Rose!
Tina
Tina first appeared in 1990. She is the only female in the group. Tina is caring, fun, and always ready to help. She is very important to all the Tetley Tea Folk. Tina has a simple way of looking at life, so the others often go to her when they need someone to listen and understand.
Archie
Archie is the youngest of the Tea Folk. He first appeared in 1993. Archie is Gaffer’s nephew. He loves learning about Tetley Tea and is being taught to take over Gaffer's role one day. Archie is still in school and is full of life and curiosity. His curious and sometimes mischievous nature can get him into tricky situations, but his Uncle Gaffer always helps him out.
Tetley Tea Folk Collectibles
Many cool items have been made featuring the Tetley Tea Folk. Tetley worked with famous companies like Wade and Lledo to create these collectibles. One of the most valuable items is a gold-trimmed Morris Minor money box, released in 2006. It can be worth as much as £200!
