Is there anything more quintessentially British than a cup of English breakfast tea? Burberry is the latest brand using food in their marketing campaigns and not in the way you’d expect!
Over the last week Burberry has filmed a content series with British celebrities making their perfect cup of tea, these celebrities include Olivia Coleman, Cara Delevingne, Cole Palmer and Lil Simz. Connecting the semiotics of making a cup of tea with Burberry’s proud British heritage.
This isn’t the first time Burberry have used British food and culture as a marketing campaign. Their fashion week popup last year saw them take over Norman’s cafe in North London. A cafe putting a playful take on the traditional greasy spoon. Serving classic English breakfast on Burberry branded plates as well as original offerings of cod’s roe and ‘Frazzles’ crisps.
Using food as a marketing strategy in the era of ‘little treat’ culture, overpriced coffee and matcha lattes gets people talking. Burberrys tea campaign sparks British small talk like, do you put the bag in first? How much milk do you put in? No sugar is the best right? Nothing screams British like a cup of tea.
At a time where Burberry are financially struggling as one of the few UK global luxury brands and at a time where the UK is potentially losing its previous ‘cool kid’ status this campaign has brought them back into the public eye and into the conversation.
The campaign is genius as it brings Burberry as a brand back to its roots – quintessential Britishness, and using tea is the perfect example. Other heritage brands should take this as a sign to move with the times and social media and play their marketing campaigns off of the current social zeitgeist.
