Typhoo Brings Back Iconic Gnu Character for New Advertising Campaign
50 years on, Supreme plc revitalises a much-loved character from Typhoo’s advertising heritage, introducing Drew the Gnu as part of a new campaign designed to reconnect the brand with consumers and bring fresh personality to one of Britain’s established tea brands.
Supreme plc, owner of Typhoo, is bringing a familiar face back to British advertising with the launch of a new national campaign in November 2026, reviving the brand's much-loved Gnu character for a new generation of tea drinkers.
Introducing Drew the Gnu, the modern-day successor to one of Typhoo's most distinctive advertising characters. With a refreshed look, a new personality and a contemporary sense of humour, Drew will lead the campaign, "Typhoo Tea Fixes Everything… Sort Of.", celebrating the everyday comfort of a cup of tea while reconnecting audiences with a memorable part of the brand's history.
The campaign represents a further opportunity to build on Typhoo's heritage, strengthen brand recognition and bring renewed creative energy to its marketing, supporting the company's wider focus on developing the brand and engaging consumers across the UK.
Revitalising a Recognisable Brand Heritage
Founded in Birmingham in 1903, Typhoo has been part of British tea-drinking culture for more than 120 years. Throughout that history, the brand has developed a distinctive identity through its products, memorable advertising campaigns, familiar slogans and much-loved characters.
The original Typhoo Gnu made his television debut in 1976, bringing animation, music and humour to the brand's advertising. Created by animators Tony Cattaneo and Ron Wyatt of Wyatt Cattaneo, the character became known for his musical talents, distinctive appearance and enthusiasm for Typhoo tea.
Inspired by the famous Gnu song associated with comedy duo Flanders and Swann, the advertising combined playful storytelling with a memorable musical approach. The character also appeared in a series of animated adventures during the late 1970s, becoming a distinctive part of Typhoo's marketing history.
Historical promotional material also referred to the original Gnu as Norman.
By revisiting this heritage, Typhoo is drawing on an established brand asset while introducing a refreshed interpretation designed to appeal to both consumers who remember the original character and audiences discovering him for the first time.
Introducing Drew: A New Chapter for the Gnu
Drew brings a contemporary identity to the original Gnu concept, retaining the character's humour and recognisable connection to Typhoo while giving the brand a fresh creative platform.
The decision to revisit the character reflects the enduring value of distinctive brand assets and the opportunity to use established brand recognition to create new consumer-facing campaigns.
Rather than relying solely on nostalgia, the new creative direction places Drew in familiar, modern-day situations, using humour to connect the ritual of making tea with the small challenges of everyday life.
The approach gives Typhoo a character-led platform that can support its wider brand communications while reinforcing the familiarity, accessibility and personality associated with the brand.
"Typhoo Tea Fixes Everything… Sort Of."
At the heart of the new campaign is a simple and relatable idea: while a cup of tea cannot solve every problem, it can provide a welcome moment to pause, reset and reconnect.
The campaign uses Drew's humour to explore everyday mishaps and the familiar British habit of putting the kettle on when things do not quite go to plan.
By combining light-hearted storytelling with a recognisable character, the creative aims to make Typhoo relevant to contemporary audiences while retaining the warmth and personality that have long featured in the brand's advertising.
The campaign will launch nationally in November 2026, with the new advert introducing Drew to audiences through the planned campaign activity.
Extending the Role of Tea in Everyday Connections
Alongside its focus on brand engagement, Typhoo recognises the wider social role that a shared cup of tea can play in bringing people together.
The company is partnering with The Chatty Café Scheme, an initiative that encourages conversation and social connection over a drink, helping to address loneliness and isolation.
Through the partnership, Typhoo aims to raise awareness of the scheme, encourage café participation and promote the value of taking time to talk.
The initiative complements the campaign's central message: although tea cannot resolve every challenge, the simple act of sharing a brew can create an opportunity for conversation, connection and a more positive everyday experience.
Supreme Supporting Typhoo’s Next Phase of Development
The campaign forms part of Typhoo's continuing development under Supreme plc's ownership, as the business builds on the brand's established heritage and seeks opportunities to strengthen its position in the tea market.
Alongside the introduction of Drew, Typhoo continues to focus on its refreshed tea range, product quality and UK manufacturing operations in Gloucester.
For established consumer brands, maintaining relevance requires a balance between recognising the qualities that consumers already associate with a name and creating new reasons for them to engage with it. The return of the Gnu provides Typhoo with an opportunity to do both.
The campaign brings together a recognisable historical character, contemporary creative execution and an accessible message centred on an everyday consumer ritual.
It also creates a platform for continued brand storytelling, connecting Typhoo's advertising heritage with its present-day identity and future ambitions.
