The TEA moment

How long is a moment?

Daniel Kahneman suggests we experience about 20,000 of them every day. That makes each one no more than a second or two.

But did you know a medieval moment corresponded to a minute and a half, 40 momenta to a solar hour? Time is definitely speeding up.

Marketing has its moments too.

‘Moments of Truth’ appeared in 2005 courtesy of P&G, the first moment when customers are faced with the product, the second when they find out how the product matches up to the promise.

Years ago, I was working on the Tetley tea brand. It was tempting to think that the second moment of truth with tea was drinking it, so the focus had to be on the flavour.

In reality, the moment started when you decided to have a cup of tea. Whatever point you were at in your day, your life, the thought popped into your head: “I fancy a cuppa.”

This ‘tea moment’, as we christened it, then covered the feeling of anticipation, the act of preparation, the pleasure of consumption and finally the resolution, feeling in some way ‘better’. It was an emotional journey

So what about a moment of closeness?

That’s my way of describing what happens when people choose brands. Attention is drawn to the outside, a connection is made with the inside and there’s a fit.

It’s why both mental availability and emotional connection matter. Connections form when people associate your brand with meeting a particular need they have. This then makes your brand come to mind when they’re in a certain situation and that need of theirs is active.

But how long does a moment of closeness last?

Let’s do a test. You’re in Tesco right now, in the aisle, and you need tea bags.

What’s it to be?

PG Tips?

Yorkshire Tea?

Tetley?

Twinings?

Tesco’s?

Tesco Finest?

Clipper?

Thompson’s?

Barry’s?

You know already, don’t you?