Dive Brief:
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Unilever has invested over $40 million, double what it spent last year, on a new global campaign for its Lipton brand. The stars of the marketing project are Kermit, Miss Piggy, and other familiar faces from the Muppets, who come together to promote the message, “Be more tea.”
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What they hope to convey by the word “tea” in the context is a sort of “stop and smell the roses” kind of attitude.The Muppets' playfulness is meant to convey Lipton's desire to influence customers to "look up" and enjoy the little things in a fun, lighthearted way.
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The ads are set to debut on television during the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2, but you can get an advance viewing on Lipton’s YouTube channel or via Lipton’s Facebook page.
Dive Insight:
While the Muppets are perennial favorites, they are gaining even more attention this year, as a new movie, Muppets Most Wanted, will be released in theaters on March 21. The promotions for the movie cross over with the Lipton campaign in Facebook and Twitter posts.
While movie tie-ins are often used to promote food products, they're usually for the type of snack likely to appeal to children. Unilever is banking ($40 million) on the Muppets having enough appeal to adults to sell them on enjoying a relaxing cup of tea. It’s a fairly safe bet, as many adults have a fondness for the Muppets dating back to their own childhood. So far, the response on social media has been very positive.The only question is will there be one featuring a song entitled, "It's not easy being green tea?"