Tea test markets update.

In the June issue, Illtyd Lewis, executive director of the U.K. Tea Council, detailed the current generic promotional campaign for tea. Here, he gives an update on the progress of the project.

Our earlier article on this subject explained how a promotional campaign for tea, with a visually

and verbally recognizable international expression of tea's health proposition, was being tested in four carefully selected areas of the world "with a broad geographical and cultural spread" and in markets "where tea consumption is minuscule as well as those with recognized development potential." Those four areas are Zimbabwe, Czechoslovakia, Spain, and Indonesia.

At the start of the project, we recognized that consumers are increasingly aware that lifestyle choices, including diet, can reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases including cancer and heart disease. Within this context, changes in consumer attitudes and diet-related choices are already being seen. Consequently, a promotional campaign designed to promote tea as a beverage which may possess certain beneficial health effects should be effective - giving a clear and credible message to the consumer, without over-stressing the results of the research findings. Within the campaign, emphasis is placed on the fact that the consumption of tea is an appropriate lifestyle choice within the context of a generally healthy diet. It does not present tea as a 'nutriceutical' with medicinal properties, nor does it make claims relative to other beverages. Rather, it focuses on the appropriateness of the choice of tea within a variety of different social and economic scenarios where the emphasis on the research findings is culturally oriented.

Since consumers, particularly in the Western world, are exposed to various media sources that extend well beyond their national borders, it will also be important to ensure that a uniform message is relayed at an international level to avoid confusion. Thus, it was important to develop a generic message with international consumer appeal. The basis of the promotional campaign will be to create a universal message for tea in the context of a healthy lifestyle via a visual identity and strapline that can be deployed throughout the visual media.

Developing the New Proposition

The specialist agency appointed to develop and execute the communications package worked to a consultancy agreement, the key elements of which were as follows: to develop a positioning for generic tea based on a health proposition; a consumer proposition derived from the positioning and relevant to the world market place; a strapline to express the proposition for use worldwide; a physical identity to support the tea health proposition, which could act as a trigger and as an endorsement.

The positioning established clear and solid criteria for designing the visual identity and developing the strapline. The positioning statement had to be worded in clear, unambiguous language and approved by the steering committee. Important points that required consideration in the development of the positioning statement were: What makes tea unique and different from other drinks? What are the positive health aspects relating to the actual properties of tea? What is the current knowledge and research regarding the health benefits of tea? How can a generic health claim for tea be communicated in a credible and compelling manner? What aspects of generic brand values of tea and its product imagery can support a health-based positioning? How can tea communicate and appeal to younger audiences? How can a visual identity for tea have the potential to enhance the appeal of tea products to the trade and consumers?

A positioning statement was duly drawn up and agreed to by the steering committee, and the design agency then developed a consumer proposition visual identity and supporting strapline.

The concept developed sought to harness universal icons that reach across culture, language, and learning; are consistent with health-based positioning; and are simple, timeless, and enduring.

The strapline had to be short, simple, and easy to translate; it should not overclaim on health but must be health-based; it should link to fundamental human aspirations and needs which tea supports worldwide. Particular attention and care was needed in using the word 'health,' since the use of the word can easily involve regulatory acceptability. Furthermore, we are firmly of the opinion that if health featured too overtly, the wording would be seen as being inappropriate for tea. We therefore sought to avoid overlap with wording used for medicines, health foods, sport, recreation, and public health.

Three different executions were developed by the design agency in consultation with the PEA (Project Execution Agency - The U.K. Tea Council) and research and marketing consultants. These possible solutions were then submitted to research in a number of focus groups in Zimbabwe and Spain on the basis of detailed research briefs and subsequent submission from two international research companies. The result of this research clearly identified the treatment referred to as 'suncup' as being the most appropriate and effective logo, backed by the strapline "Discover the goodness."

The suncup image conveyed very clearly to people an idea of warmth, health, and general well-being. The strapline successfully links the idea of tea to goodness, to health and taste, in the context of both new and existing drinkers.

Based on the findings of the research report, certain adjustments were made to the suncup treatment which was then presented to and approved by the steering committee.

Approval and Implementation

The recommended suncup logo and strapline were unanimously approved at the governmental group meeting, held in Indonesia at the beginning of July of 1997.

The strapline has now been translated into other key languages (including French, German, Spanish, Indonesian, and Czech), and how that device can be introduced to the consumer and exploited to the benefit of black tea in widely differing market circumstances is now being investigated.

Each of the markets has its own very specific and different contributions occasioned by local conditions, and indeed the relative purchasing power of each test market. Each of the four selected test markets has been selected on the basis of different criteria and each selected plan therefore has its own individual rationale for selection.

In Catalonia, where the cost of pure media is not affordable within the campaign budget, a highly original and creative plan has been developed, incorporating many elements of the marketing mix. As this is a health project, we are seeking the endorsement of the Catalonian government for the wide and inventive public relations campaign and for the sponsorship of various radio and television programs.

A particularly interesting part of this test market plan is the planned painting of a number of city buses with the campaign slogan conveying the tea and health message. A sophisticated program to alert local opinion formers to the benefits of tea and health will be launched in a high profile venue in Barcelona.

In Czechoslovakia, where the cost of pure media is much more affordable within the budget restraints, there is to be a heavyweight press campaign with between 80 and 100 insertions in women's weekly and monthly magazines, backed, once again, by opinion formers briefings and an extensive public relations campaign.

In Java, the Indonesian public relations options are much more limited, but production costs of television commercials are competitive and therefore much of the campaign resources will be concentrated on a television campaign in Surabaya backed by a public relations program through local press.

In Zimbabwe, a totally integrated media campaign has been devised to include documentaries for screening on television, advertorials in various newspapers, and road shows (which are very important in Zimbabwe). The campaign's objective in all the test markets is to introduce the mark to the consumer and ensure that public relations coverage communicates the health message in depth. In every one of the test markets, the first phase of the campaign will be initiated by the briefing of expert opinion formers. Local tea companies will be encouraged to take full advantage of the generic campaign by deploying the communication device and strapline, within their marketing mix, having signed a formal agreement.

The test markets will be launched by February/March of 1998 and will continue for over a year. The project must be finished by 1999, at which time it will be assessed. The PEA is at present considering recommendations for the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), under whose auspices the project is being run, as to the future use of the communications package when the test market phase is completed.