JKR

Yorkshire Tea’s pastoral packaging captures our idealistic image of England, the ‘green and pleasant land’ in William Blake’s Jerusalem and where Danny Boyle transported us at the start of his opening ceremony. It’s the image that comes to mind when you’re far from home and missing the old country. Comforting and familiar, just like a good cuppa.

Where other brands present our national drink with some exclusivity and allude to its aristocratic descent, Yorkshire Tea is democratised and down to earth – a brand for a nation of tea drinkers. The name provides that assurance. No county is perceived as being more honest or no-nonsense than Yorkshire. The brand mark with its bold, sans serif type and ever so slightly brash orange outline represents this perfectly. As does the directness of the line ‘Let’s have a proper brew’. You can almost hear Geoffrey Boycott as you read it.

The Royal Crest almost goes unnoticed, perhaps because we wouldn’t necessarily associate it with such a grounded brand; but if there was any doubt whether this is real English tea, it’s a final seal of authenticity.

True to its roots, Yorkshire Tea provides a lesson in being direct both in concept and execution. Charles Taylor’s vision was simply to bring a little taste of Yorkshire to the rest of Britain. Michael Peters translated that idea directly into a piece of distinctive design. Now that’s champion.

By James Joice, Client Director, jkr