That time we made a health and safety video about tea...and it was brilliant

We knew we couldn’t just make another ad. Yorkshire Tea’s TV campaigns are legendary. Our challenge was to capture that famous, irreverent humour and create something that felt completely at home on social media. We wanted to make something for the fans, something they’d love and share. 

Then, the idea sparked. What if we treated the art of tea-making with the absurd gravity of a 1990s health and safety video? 

Suddenly, we were all buzzing. The memories came flooding back: the clunky beige computers, the terrible office fashion, the grainy VHS quality. It was a world of pure, nostalgic gold. We imagined a straight-faced training film from a forgotten HR department, where the most important task of the day was ensuring a full, four-minute brew time. It just felt so right. 

Our Digital Creative Director, Belen Wilson, put it best: "We wanted to take that trademark Yorkshire Tea humour and deliver something that could be truly enjoyed and engaged with by their masses of social fans. ‘Health and Safe Tea’ is the culmination of Yorkshire Tea’s heritage, Jaywing’s social-native approach, and Them Apples’ comedy vision.” 

To bring this mad idea to life, we knew we needed some serious comedy firepower. We teamed up with the geniuses at Them Apples, the creative duo of mash-up king Cassetteboy and BAFTA-winning writer Anthony MacMurray. They were the perfect writer/director/editor combo to nail the deadpan, hilarious tone we were after. The whole collaboration felt less like a project and more like a bunch of mates having a laugh, all while being obsessed with getting every detail perfect. 

The shoot itself was a total blast from the past, and we even got real Yorkshire Tea employees in on the action as extras for that extra layer of authenticity. Seeing the recently-departed Dom Dwight, a 19-year veteran of the brand, getting involved was a properly special moment for everyone. 

Tom Craik from Taylors of Harrogate, who was deep in the project with us, said: "We’re taking that relatable workplace tragedy and injecting our signature irreverent humour into it. This series is all about bringing the anarchic fun of our social channels to a bigger audience, all while reminding people just how vital a proper brew is." 

And that’s what it’s all about. It’s a bit of fun, a knowing nod to office life, and a celebration of taking the time to do things properly. 

The 'Health and Safe Tea' campaign is now rolling out across YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok. Go on, have a watch. You’ve earned it.