Elvis scoops Tetley tea below-the-line account

Tea brand Tetley has appointed Elvis to handle its below-the-line business, following a three-way pitch.

It is understood the agency, which is aligned to Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy (MCBD), pitched against Tullo Marshall Warren and Navigator. It is not thought EHS Brann, which has worked on Tetley’s direct marketing in the past, was involved in the pitch.

Elvis will work with Tetley project by project, starting with a direct mail campaign for the brand’s “special teas” range.

MCBD was appointed to handle Tetley’s &£8m advertising account in May last year. Marketing Week revealed last February that Tetley was ending its long-standing relationship with Leo Burnett (MW February 19, 2004).

Tetley said at the time it was “time for a change”. MCBD was chosen to handle the business ahead of Campbell Doyle Dye.

The agency created its first television campaign for the brand in September. The ad was for Tetley’s range of fruit, herbal and green teas and featured actress Kim Cattrall. It introduced the strapline “positively Tetley”.

Earlier this year, Tetley revamped its Decaf brand to convince customers that it tastes as good as ordinary tea. It reformulated and repackaged the product in an effort to increase its share of the decaffeinated tea market, which is worth about &£21m.