PG Tips’ popular mascot ‘Monkey’ is returning to TV screens in a new ad for the tea brand that also kicks-off its ‘Live life one tea at a time’ platform.
Developed by Ogilvy-owned New Commercial Arts (NCA), the campaign will be centred around a 60-second spot that parodies faux-candid reality shows that depict celebrity families relaxing at home.
Starring comic actress Emily Atack as Monkey’s wife, the campaign will be backed by an £8 million spend and marks the agency’s first work for the brand since its secured its creative account in January.
“From the very first conversation we had with NCA, we knew they truly got the heart of the brand and the ambition behind the brief,” said Elle Barker, CMO at Lipton Teas, which owns PG Tips.
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“I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve created together, it’s bold, funny and absolutely captures the chaos of family life and the role that tea plays for so many British families. ‘Live life one tea at a time’ puts Monkey and the brand back in the spotlight and kicks off a brand new chapter for PG Tips,” she added.
The film will run across TV, video-on-demand and out-of-home from 9 May, and will be supported by social media and consumer PR activations created by The Romans. Media planning and buying was handled by PHD.
Dan Seager and Steve Hall, ECD at New Commercial Arts added: “It’s been an absolute joy to work with the team at PG Tips.”
“We were eager to create a campaign that did justice to such an iconic, fabric-of-the-nation brand and brought to life the fact that, whatever life throws at you, nothing beats a good cup of PG. And no one knows that better than Monkey. The nation has clearly missed him and persuading him to come back into the limelight has been a career high.”
