Capturing the Feeling of Home for Barry’s Tea in Documentary-Style Spots

Few things warm the heart like a humble cup of tea. Some sips have teleportation qualities, transporting you home. It’s a feeling Barry’s Tea has built into its DNA over more than a century. Founded in Cork in 1901, the brand has evolved from a mark of quality to a cultural icon, now commanding 38% of all tea sales in Ireland. Despite this, Barry’s isn’t coasting on its reputation. In an industry where even traditions must adapt, the brand is making bold moves to stay at the forefront of Irish hearts and minds.

Barry's Tea 'You're Home' campaign moves away from the usual scripted ad approach. TBWA\Ireland’s embraced a new, documentary-style approach that dives into the real lives and stories of Irish people. This shift not only preserves Barry’s heritage but also breathes new life into its connection with today’s audiences, proving that even a familiar cup of tea can still surprise.



Despite Barry’s Tea's deeply rooted place in Irish culture, the brand has faced market challenges. “In recent years, private label teas have been growing in popularity,” explains Ronán Jennings, TBWA\Ireland’s strategy director. “Our closest competitor, was elbowing into our brand territory.” Barry’s needed a new approach to reinforce its premium perception while rekindling a connection with younger consumers. The goal was to find a way to appeal to modern sensibilities without losing the brand’s traditional appeal.

TBWA’s solution was to pivot from scripted storytelling to something more authentic. Creative director Bairbre McGlade explains, “Barry’s Tea has a strong heritage of storytelling in their advertising. Our switch from telling scripted stories to telling real people’s stories through a beautiful documentary style was done to resonate with a more modern audience and bring a fresh take to Barry’s long tradition of storytelling.”

The campaign, directed by Ken Wardrop, features a series of vignettes capturing the lives of ordinary Irish people  —  from caretakers on the Great Blasket Island to a competitive rower — each one deeply connected to the essence of the feeling of home. Ken’s documentary style was key to translating this authenticity, with Bairbre adding, “Ken is amazing at making people feel at ease on camera and at extracting their stories in a very natural way.”

The best campaigns often hinge on a point of real insight. Barry’s Tea's shift to a more real-life approach wasn’t just a creative decision; it was rooted in deep understanding of Barry’s “bullseye audience,” as Ronán calls it. He explains that the team honed in on women aged 28 to 35, “They are busy taking on life's new challenges and adventures, whether through work or personal passions, but they still long for something familiar and the feeling of home to keep them grounded,” he tells me. The campaign positions Barry’s Tea as the link to that feeling of belonging, no matter where they are.

While Barry’s Tea is known for comfort, Ronán is quick to point out that comfort alone is not enough. “[It] can easily default into someone just sitting at home in the evening having a cup of tea on their own — we want to push the brand into a more contemporary space,’ – representing modern Ireland and the multitude of stories of its people.” Shifting focusing on the solitary comfort of home to the shared experience of home was key to keeping the brand culturally relevant in an ever-changing market.



The team at TBWA\Ireland worked with research agency, Bricolage, to ensure the campaign stayed attuned to contemporary Irish life. The research identified three brand pillars — Quest, Home, and Empathy — that guided the creative direction, and will continue to do so. Ronán tells me, “These pillars gave us real clarity as they are constants for the brand, and our job creatively is to reinterpret them in a fresh and culturally relevant way."

One of the campaign’s strongest points is the collaborative nature of its creation. TBWA\Ireland partnered closely with production company, Antidote, and leaned on Ken’s expertise in documentary filmmaking. Bairbre speaks highly of the partnership, telling me, “Ken was the first name that came to mind when we initially decided on a documentary-style approach... They’re really collaborative and really understood what our aim was, and what this series of documentaries needed to do for the brand.”

The combination of documentary-style authenticity, emotional resonance, and a culturally informed approach has helped Barry’s Tea not only maintain its heritage but expand it.

So far, the campaign has been met with a wave of positivity, with Bairbre hinting at even more to come: “We already have the next story in the series ready to bring to screen.”

By bridging the gap between the familiar comforts of the past and the fresh perspectives of the present, Barry’s Tea is ensuring it remains a staple Irish homes and hearts for generations to come.