Tetley Tea Folk commercial turns out to be a tribute to Norman Wisdom
15/10/2010

Well it seems I was wrong about predicting that the Tetley Tea Folk were to be reborn as chavs (see my blog of 16 August), and getting all het up about it. The new commercial has finally broken (see  Tetley commercial 2010 Parts 1 & 2 on You Tube) and the Tea Folk have been resurrected  as themselves in a monolithic new Tetley warehouse using a mixture of live and animated film (think Roger Rabbit).

A tea-boy trips up and spills a tray of tea on the upper floor which trickles down to find Sidney, Gaffer and all in a dark forgotten cellar – a la the Sleeping Beauty – where a drop of the precious fluid revives them and they set off on new adventures.

It looks like it could turn into a Life on Mars style saga – but in reverse – as the Tea Folk are initiated into the strange new customs of British life 10 years on. Although given the economy then and now – i.e. dire – they’ll probably feel quite at home. The humour in the commercials is confined to the live footage, where the tea-boy does a passable imitation of Norman Wisdom (could this be a tribute to the late great pratfaller?)

I admit to a little disappointment. But I have to say it’s better than I feared.  Or as their strapline puts: That’s better. That’s Tetley.