A highly effective cup of tea

I had the pleasure of a cup of tea and chat with Paul Feldwick the other day.

Paul is the author of The Anatomy of Humbug, a scholarly but highly approachable book, which takes an authoritative and dispassionate look at the question of how advertising works.  At various times in history, one theory or the other has been in vogue.   His thrust is that value can be found in all of these and that there’s danger in setting any of them up as the ur-principle.  (Though he does have a particular fondness for the fame theory.  It’s an idea supported by some quite compelling evidence, he argues.)

It’s a refreshing antidote to the often rather reductive pronouncements that gurus make on brands and advertising.  And in the spirit of its title, it’s a marvellously entertaining book, and I’d recommend it heartily to anyone starting out in the business of brands and communication.

Whilst we were chatting, he mentioned the case of PG Tips, a British brand of black tea.  It’s a brand that has been heavily supported over the years, with lovable chimps of one sort or another.  It hasn’t just always been there; it’s always been there in part because of this support.  And it’s still here, despite the fact that the category’s in decline.  Not the most glorious advertising effectiveness, he mused. This isn’t the stuff of gravity defying growth or a brand that’s going like a train.  Rather,  a cumulative legacy that has kept the brand resiliently valuable in the face of adversity.

As he spoke, something dawned on me.  That very morning I had chosen a box of PG Tips teabags in preference to the very respectable Retailer Own Brand next to it; and that I’d paid a 300% price premium over the ROB.   Not bad for a brand in a declining category. (And no, I’m not one of those Don Gorske weirdos)

In a coming post, I’ll write about a more exciting brand story.  But I’m almost certain to do so helped along by a nice cup of PG Tips.