1. Introduction

With the current and possible continuing over-supply position in the Indian tea market, the answer to more remunerative prices in the long run lies in increasing domestic consumption. There is a reason to drink more tea. We all know that Tea refreshes and stimulates. But that it has many health properties is not so well known. Hundreds of medical and scientific researches carried out over the last two decades on tea have shown that drinking tea can lessen the risk of a variety of chronic diseases associated with the aging - from cancer, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal problems, dental caries, etc. The tea industry in India felt that this fact needed to be communicated to the general public and the medical profession.

2. Initial Project Plan

The project report for comprehensive scheme for the first year of the 3-year plan for the campaign covering the financial year 2001-02 envisaged an expenditure of Rs.6 crores.

3. Project Administration

The project is being administered under the overall aegis of the Tea Board and the CCPA. A Tea Promotion Campaign Committee (TPCC) with the Tea Board Chairman and Chairmen/Presidents of all Constituent Associations of the CCPA oversees the Project.

Under the TPCC, a Technical Group comprising of marketing experts from the industry and Tea Board look after the operational matters and the creatives. The Technical Group members are as follows:-

4. Project Execution
The modules covered so far are as follows: -

Launch & Conferences An exploratory conference in Kolkata in April, 2001 where select members of the medical profession were invited.

The launch conferences were held in New Delhi on 12th July, 2001. The launch and press conference was inaugurated by Mr Prabir Sengupta, Union Commerce Secretary at the Taj Mahal Hotel. New Delhi. Among the other dignitaries present were Mr L V Saptarishi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Government of India and leading members of the tea industry.

The press conference was attended by journalists from various leading dailies, magazines and Television Channels. The main presentation on tea and its antioxidant was made by Dr. John H. Weisburger, Director Emeritus and Senior Member, American Health Foundation. Dr. Weisburger has done extensive research on this subject and has recommended that 6-10 cups of tea consumption will help to lead a healthy life. Besides attending this conference various journalists also had a one-to-one interaction with Dr. Weisburger and Dr D K Ganguly, Emeritus Scientist, CSIR who is one of the pioneers of research on tea and human health in India. The interviews were published/telecast in different print and electronic media.

In the evening of the same day, a medical conference was held at Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi where doctors from various fields of specialization attended. Besides the doctors there were representatives of different tea companies and trade. In this conference besides Dr. Weisburger and Dr D K Ganguly, Dr. Naresh Trehan, renowned Cardiologist from Escorts Heart Centre presented his views on the benefits of tea and antioxidants in cardiovascular diseases. Dr V K Monga, President, Delhi Medical Association also had a few words of praise on tea. It was an enlightening evening for many of the doctors expressed the view that they were not aware of that so much research had already been carried out on tea and were glad for the opportunity of having leading scientists share their knowledge with them.

Advertorials After the launch, a series of full-page advertisements were released in English and vernacular dailies.

In the first round, advertisement in English appeared in the following English dailies on 25th September, 2001.

The second round of advertorials appearing the regional language papers as per the list below on Thursday, the 4th October, 2001.

The third round of advertisements (this time in full-colour) appeared on 5th December, 2001 in all editions of Economic Times as well as Times of India Ahmedabad.

In response to the ads, about 400 e-mails and over a 1500 letters had been received requesting additional information or making certain queries. In response, the text matter of the doctors' mailer along with a standard answers relating to various issues raised had been forwarded.

Doctors' Mailer
Mailers were distributed to 75,000 doctors as per the list below:-

Consumer Leaflets
150,000 each in Hindi and English leaflets have been printed along with 20,000 each of Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalan and Kanada. Despatch of leaflets is still going on against orders.


5.Need for Plan Revision

Though the industry had planned to collect at least Rs.3.37 crores as budgeted, unfortunately due to the financial crisis arising out of current depressed tea market scenario, inflows have not reached expected levels. Collections by the industry, so far, have been to the tune of Rs.2.10 crores. Therefore, due to funds constraints, some modifications and adjustments had been made in the original plan and the plan was revised to Rs.415 crores for the current financial year. The remaining funds available with the CCPA, along with the funds that would be available from the Tea Board, would be mainly utilised in producing the film for TV and towards advertisement in TV.

6. TV Campaign

In February the Technical Group strongly felt that the time was ripe for the TV media campaign. A small group of marketing experts was delegated the task of looking at various alternative scripts presented by the Agency for the TV film and the media plan. After a series of meetings and viewing the rough cuts of the film, a sixty/forty second spot films are now ready for broadcast. These will be aired in the first week of June, 2002. The film will be aired in Doordarshan, Star Plus, Zee TV and Aajtak. The film will also be screened in premier cinema halls in Delhi and Kolkata. The ad schedule will be communicated shortly.

The style of the film produced is a radical departure from past tea brand promotion films. The film focuses on a healthy lifestyle and youth.

7. Market Research

For monitoring the impact of the TV advertisements, a market research would be carried out. The research has been split into two parts: (1) Before the campaign begins and (2) at the end of the first phase of the TV Campaign. The first part of this study will assess the extent of awareness of tea and its health benefits, its image, consumption levels amongst consumers before the campaign begins and therefore set a benchmark. The second part of the study will assess the awareness, recall, attitude change (if any) towards tea and therefore, the impact of the TV film. The research will be conducted in the main towns of the tea drinking states. This would cost around Rs. 8.00 lakhs.

8. Programme for 2002-03

It will be appreciated that, within the limited funds available with the CCPA, considerable work has been done in promoting the health benefits of tea towards the objective of increasing domestic consumption. The results, so far as we are able to assess, have been quite encouraging.

Much more needs to be done if the Campaign is to have the desired results.

The plan of action for 2002-03 is being finalised and will be presented to the Commerce Ministry shortly. TD: Tea Generic Promotion