Tea Board of India empanels JWT, Ogilvy and Grey

Tea Board of India has empanelled JWT India, Ogilvy India and Grey India as its creative agencies. The agencies have been appointed for a period of three years, subject to favourable annual reviews. The mandate for the selected agencies will include carrying out promotional campaigns for both Indian and international markets.

Sources close to the development have confirmed the news to afaqs! on condition of anonymity.

Although it is expected to be substantial, the exact size of the business could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report. However, industry sources reveal that one of the first projects to be given away by the statutory body involves a spend of Rs 20-25 crore.

For the record, the Tea Board functions as a statutory body of the Central Government under the Ministry of Commerce. The genesis of the Tea Board of India dates back to 1903, when the Indian Tea Cess Bill was passed.

In 2006, the Tea Board ran a campaign to get the coffee and soft drink-savvy generation back to drinking tea again. Titled 'Chai piyo mast jiyo', the ads were created by Ogilvy India (Kolkata branch) and shot by Footcandles.

Earlier, Draftfcb Ulka had the 'Piyo ji bhar ke' ad which also targeted the youth and showed people enjoying a cup of tea after exercising.

One has to wait and watch what the freshly empanelled agencies have in store for the tea-drinker.