Blend A or blend B? In an advertisement (video above) for a brand of tea, a group of tea-drinkers were asked to choose between them in terms of flavour and taste. While this is typical of blind tests used by companies to prove their brand is considered superior by a sample of consumers, this advertisement had a different story to tell with its message.

On the face of it, the advertisement is a social experiment. And as the storyline of the advertisement purport to establish, what really makes a difference in the taste of a cup of tea does not have to do with its ingredients alone.

By shifting the claim of uniqueness of the brand to the environment rather than the tea itself, the brand does end up with a more memorable communication. Was it a real test or an enactment? Either way, it’s a clever advertisement.