Thu, February 18, 2010 - 4:28:07
Wayne Gretzky Joins the Team to Champion Bigelow® Green Tea
Fairfield, CT, February 2010 - Talk about a power play! The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, has teamed up with the Bigelow Tea Company as spokesperson for North America (Canada and the U.S.). As the embodiment of sports excellence and wholesome vitality, Wayne Gretzky is a perfect fit with the Bigelow Green Tea “story.”
In keeping with Bigelow’s customer centric style, this exciting news first launched on the Bigelow blog with a weeklong teaser contest. Daily Twitter clues were posted and a Classic Tea Chest stocked with Bigelow Tea favorites was awarded to the lucky winner who guessed the new spokesperson was “The Great One.”
Gretzky, who has played pro hockey for both Canadian and American teams, earned his title as The Great One by winning 4 National Hockey League championships, 9 Hart Trophies (hockey’s MVP award) and 3 NHL All-Star Game MVPs. An incredible athlete, he also holds 60 different NHL records — including a record for holding the most records! He is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the NHL, and has been called “the greatest hockey player ever” by many sportswriters, players and coaches.
Gretzky’s personal relationship with the Bigelow brand laid the groundwork for the sponsorship. “Just as hockey is a natural for me, quality is a natural for Bigelow Tea. It’s a family company whose values I admire, and whose product is unbeatable. Bigelow teas just seem to taste fresher and better - I’m pleased to be associated with a product I believe in.”
The admiration is well returned. “It’s so incredibly exciting, and such an honor, to have a sports figure of Wayne’s magnitude as our spokesperson,” said Cindi Bigelow, President of the family-owned Bigelow Tea Company. “He is not only a true champion but a wonderful human being - humble, gentle and kind. When he visited our facility, he shook hands, signed autographs and took photos with everyone. No wonder they call him the Great One.”
Joining the Pro-Bigelow Lineup
Gretzky joins an impressive group of top sports figures who feel strongly about the Bigelow brand: Joe Torre, Terry Francona and Phil Simms are all spokespersons. “It’s been a remarkable journey with Joe, Phil, Terry, and now Wayne,” says Cindi. “We’ve attracted sports enthusiasts across the continent and around the world to become loyal drinkers of Bigelow Green Tea.”
A Power-Packed Campaign
As spokesman, Gretzky will star in a marketing campaign encompassing print, broadcast, online and social media, in-store and account-specific retailer programs, and more.
Bigelow’s campaign will launch with a line of four “Gretzky Green” green teas. The bilingual (English and French), 40-bag boxes will include:
Green Tea with Pomegranate: a masterful blend of flavorful pomegranate with delicate green tea.
Green Tea with Lemon: The refreshing, light lemony taste adds a zesty note to the delicate flavor of green tea.
Green Tea: for green tea purists, a fragrant, light, and mellow brew reputed to have many healthy properties.
Decaffeinated Green Tea: the same delicious flavor of regular Bigelow Green Tea in a naturally decaffeinated form.
The satisfying, toasty notes of Bigelow Green Tea are what set it apart from all others. Our tea bags are wrapped in flavor protecting pouches to preserve freshness.
Health Benefits of Green Tea
Green tea is rich in polyphenols. These powerful antioxidants help control free radicals, the unstable compounds that destroy cells. Research has shown green tea to have many health benefits, including fighting the effects of aging and reducing the risk of some cancers and other diseases including high cholesterol and high blood pressure. It can bolster the immune system to better resist flus and other viral diseases, strengthen capillaries and prevent infection.
Competitive Advantage
Gretzky’s huge fan base in both Canada and the U.S. gives Bigelow a strong advantage in the North American green tea market—and a wonderful opportunity to introduce more consumers to the healthy enjoyment of Gretzky Green teas. As Cindi sportingly puts it, “With The Great One proclaiming Bigelow as his M-V-Tea, we’re looking forward to many championship seasons ahead!”
About Bigelow Tea Company
100 % family owned Fairfield, Conn.-based Bigelow Tea pioneered the specialty tea category 65 years ago. Bigelow takes pride in its heritage and successful growth from a one-product, entrepreneurial venture into America’s leading specialty tea company. The Bigelow Tea line includes more than 100 varieties of flavored, traditional, green, organic, herbal, decaffeinated teas and iced teas– including America’s number one specialty tea flavor, “Constant Comment®”.
In 2003, the company purchased and restored the Charleston Tea Plantation. Based on Wadmalaw Island just south of Charleston, South Carolina, the only tea plantation in America cultivates several hundred thousand tea bushes that are descendants of bushes brought from China during the 1800’s. The Charleston Tea Plantation has become a “must see” destination for tea lovers and tourists alike who visit the area from around the world and appreciate information and education about tea in addition to enjoying American Classic Tea and products which are produced from the tea grown on the premises.
Bigelow Tea products are available nationwide including grocery, supercenters mass merchandisers and health stores. Every variety can be found on the company website, www.bigelowtea.com, along with an appealing selection of tea chests, tea accessories and other gift items. Tea lovers and enthusiasts will also enjoy interesting and entertaining related stories and facts by visiting the company’s blog www.bigelowteablog.com.
PRESS CONTACT INFO:
Elizabeth April-Fritz
Bigelow Tea
203-334-1212
eafritz@rcbigelow.com
Ann Karrick
Creative Concepts
866.475.5191 x713
akarrick@creative-conceptsllc.com
