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 in TV commercials from 1973 to 2001, and then again from 2010 to 2012, and 2014 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 with an art director, Peter Rigby, who drew the first characters. Then, a studio called Wyatt Cattaneo brought them to life as animations.
In the early days, the adverts mixed animation with real things like teabags and cups. This made the Tea Folk seem like they were in a real world! A composer named Ken Jones wrote the music for their famous song.
Later, a new advertising agency took over. They created the well-known slogan, "That's Better. That's Tetley." This line was used in Tetley adverts for over 18 years.
The Tea Folk appeared in 67 animated TV adverts. They were also in newspapers, magazines, and on product packs. Over 30 million Tea Folk items have been sold! You can find these items in millions of homes across the United Kingdom.
The Tea Folk adverts had many memorable sayings, like:
- Tetley make tea bags make tea.
- That's Better. That's Tetley.
- Only Tetley will do.
- ‘’Tetley bags all the flavour”.
These sayings, along with their catchy tune and popular songs like "Lovely Day", made the Tea Folk adverts very easy to recognize.
Famous actors gave voices to the characters. For many years, the main character, Gaffer, was voiced by Brian Glover. Later, Bobby Knutt took over. George Layton voiced Sidney. The Tetley Tea Folk even made it to No. 40 on Channel 4's 100 Greatest TV Ads list!
Why the Tea Folk Left
In 2001, Tetley decided to try a new advertising style. They wanted to attract younger tea drinkers. So, the Tea Folk were put on hold.
However, in July 2002, Tetley announced that their sales had dropped a lot after the Tea Folk were removed.
The Tea Folk Return
After being away for nine years, the Tetley Tea Folk made a comeback! On June 30, 2010, Tetley announced their return. They wanted to become "Britain's Best Tea Brand" again.
The first new advert was shown on September 20, 2010. It showed a Tetley employee spilling tea, which woke the Tea Folk from their long sleep. In another advert, the Tea Folk explored the factory. They were amazed by new products like Red bush and Green tea.
On January 25, 2014, after another two-year break, the Tea Folk returned again. This time, they were made with computer graphics (CGI). Only Gaffer, Sydney, and Tina were part of this return. In one advert, they accidentally stopped an alien invasion by offering tea! In December 2014, they stopped a medieval battle with tea. From 2013 to 2016, Channel 5 even had a sponsorship with Tetley, showing Gaffer and Sydney in CGI during family films.
The last advert with the Tea Folk was in January 2016. In it, Gaffer sang about how many important British events, like Winston Churchill and rock and roll, would not have happened without tea.
Meet the Tea Folk 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 star of the very first Tea Folk advert in 1973. Gaffer is a bit of a perfectionist. He takes his job of making the best cup of tea very seriously.
Sydney
Sydney first appeared in 1975. He is a kind and gentle character. Sydney is always ready with a perfectly made cup of Tetley tea, especially when things are tough. He might not be the smartest, but his good heart makes him well-loved.
For a while, Sydney went missing. This led to a famous advertising campaign that asked, "Where's Sydney?"
Maurice
Maurice is the inventor of the group. He is a genius with machines! His inventions help Tetley stay modern with its tea technology. Maurice is quiet and practical, but he also has brilliant ideas. He first appeared in 1982.
Clarence
Clarence joined the Tea Folk in 1988. He was originally the "Waker Upper," making sure everyone got to work on time. Clarence is fun, happy, and full of energy. Sometimes he gets a bit too excited, but Gaffer always guides him kindly. Clarence is a hard worker when it comes to his tea duties.
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 even created the Tetley Tea Rose because of his love for tea and gardening.
Tina
Tina first appeared in 1990. She is the only female in the group. Tina is caring, fun, and helpful. She is very special to all the Tetley Tea Folk. Tina is straightforward and often helps by listening and understanding.
Archie
Archie first appeared in 1993. He is the youngest of the Tea Folk and Gaffer’s nephew. Archie is very interested in Tetley Tea and is learning to follow in Gaffer’s footsteps. He is still in school, full of life, and always curious. His curious nature sometimes gets him into trouble, but Uncle Gaffer always helps him out.
Tetley Tea Folk Collectibles
Many different 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. It was released in September 2006 and can be worth as much as £200!
