Unilever's Lipton tea brand announces US launch of 'Be More Tea' ad campaign, which will kick off with 60-second TV spot during Academy Awards featuring Muppets as they prepare for their upcoming movie 'Muppets Most Wanted'

Nevin Barich

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, New Jersey , February 26, 2014 (press release) – New global campaign makes U.S. debut with commercial starring the Muppets

Lipton® revealed plans for the launch of its "Be More Tea™ campaign," a new global brand positioning encouraging people to snap out of their routines and to embrace each day with a more present, playful and thoughtful mindset. The campaign will kick off with a 60-second spot to air during the Academy Awards featuring the Muppets as they prepare for their upcoming movie "Muppets Most Wanted."

"We live in a busy world. It's easy to slip into a routine with our heads down, moving from one place or obligation to the next. Lipton wants to inspire consumers to 'look up', take in all that life has to offer and enjoy what you may have otherwise missed," said Alfie Vivian, vice president of refreshments for Unilever. "This is what 'Be More Tea' means to Lipton and the philosophy we will bring to life in our new national ad campaign starring the Muppets."

While launching in the U.S., the "Be More Tea" campaign marks the first time the iconic brand has introduced one global positioning worldwide.

The new ad featuring the Muppets will air for the first time on TV during the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2. It highlights the essence of the "Be More Tea" spirit with the playfulness, fun and irreverence of the Muppets. The ad was created and produced by adam&eveDDB, London.

"Making movies and dating Miss Piggy can be stressful – especially the dating part. But I always try to stay cool and look on the bright side," said Kermit the Frog. "That's what this Lipton campaign is all about. In a world filled with high-stress wild-in-the-street types like Animal, you have to take time to enjoy life and 'Be More Tea.'"

Disney's "Muppets Most Wanted," opens nationwide March 21.

To learn more about Lipton or to view the ad, visit Lipton’s YouTube or Facebook pages.

About Lipton Tea

With more than 100 years of experience, Lipton is one of the world's great refreshment brands, with tea-based drinks including leaf tea, infusions, and ready-to-drink iced tea. For more information on Lipton, please visit http://www.Facebook.com/Lipton, http://www.Facebook.com/LiptonIcedTea or LiptonTea.com.

About Unilever United States, Inc.

Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in more than 190 countries. Working to create a better future every day, we help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. In the United States, the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy, Consort For Men, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Fruttare, Good Humor, Hellmann's, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Just for Me!, Klondike, Knorr, Lever 2000, Lipton, Magnum, Motions, Nexxus, Noxzema, Pond's, Popsicle, Promise, Q-tips, Ragú, Simple, Slim-Fast, St. Ives, Suave, TIGI, TONI&GUY Hair Meet Wardrobe, TRESemmé and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies.

Our ambition is to double the size of our business, while reducing our overall environmental footprint (including sourcing, consumer use and disposal) and increasing our positive social impact. We are committed to helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being, sourcing all our agricultural raw materials sustainably by 2020, and decoupling our growth from our environmental impact. Supporting our three big goals, we have defined seven pillars, underpinned by targets encompassing social, environmental and economic areas. See more on the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan at http://www.unileverusa.com/sustainable-living/.

Unilever employs approximately 10,000 people in the United States – generating nearly $9 billion in sales in 2013. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.

About Disney's "The Muppets Most Wanted"

Disney's "Muppets Most Wanted" takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe's most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid, Dublin and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine—the World's Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit the Frog—and his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two, portrayed by Ricky Gervais. The film stars Ty Burrell as Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon and Tina Fey as Nadya, a feisty prison guard. Disney's "Muppets Most Wanted" is directed by James Bobin and produced by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman. Bobin wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Stoller, who is also executive producer with John G. Scotti. Featuring music from Academy Award®-winning songwriter Bret McKenzie, "Muppets Most Wanted" hits the big screen March 21, 2014. For more information, visit Disney.com/Muppets, like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/Muppets, and follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/TheMuppets.

TV credits

Client: Unilever

Brand: Lipton

Launch date: 26th Feb 2014

Project name: Be More Tea

Client: Mohit Anand, Global Vice President and Giles Morrison, Global Director

Creative agency: adam&eveDDB

Copywriter: Patrick McClelland

Art director: Feargal Ballance

Planner: David Golding

Media agency - Mindshare

Production company: Biscuit Filmworks

Director: Noam Murro

Editor: Neil Smith @ Work

Soundtrack name and composer: Everybody's Talkin' written by Fred Neil and performed by Harry Nilsson

Illustrator: N/A

Post-production: Framestore

Audio post-production: Clearcut Sound Studios

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