People loved Yorkshire Tea’s response after the chancellor was pictured with it making a cuppa
Spare a thought for the good people of Yorkshire Tea, who found themselves at the centre of a Twitter storm after the new chancellor Rishi Sunak tweeted a picture of himself with a giant bag of the stuff making a brew.
Quick Budget prep break making tea for the team. Nothing like a good Yorkshire brew. pic.twitter.com/zhoQM9Ksho
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) February 21, 2020
It prompted a giant pile-on, as you might imagine, from a whole bunch of people declaring they were no longer going to buy Yorkshire Tea.
Now the dust has settled the Yorkshire Tea types had their own say on it today and people loved it because it was so … reasonable, a particularly rare commodity on Twitter these days.
So it’s been a rough weekend.
On Friday, the Chancellor shared a photo of our tea. Politicians do that sometimes (Jeremy Corbyn did it in 2017). We weren’t asked or involved – and we said so the same day. Lots of people got angry with us all the same. pic.twitter.com/7uVmKDf7Jd
— Yorkshire Tea (@YorkshireTea) February 24, 2020
Just in case it’s tricky to read what people were saying, here’s just a taste.
Anyway, back to @YorkshireTea.
We’ve spent the last three days answering furious accusations and boycott calls. For some, our tea just being drunk by someone they don’t like means it’s forever tainted, and they’ve made sure we know it.
— Yorkshire Tea (@YorkshireTea) February 24, 2020
It’s been pretty shocking to see the determination some have had to drag us into a political mudfight. But it’s been lovely to see others speak up for us – we’re so grateful to everyone who’s done that in a civil way (and gutted to see some use it as a reason for more nastiness).
— Yorkshire Tea (@YorkshireTea) February 24, 2020
Speaking directly now, as the person who’s been answering these tweets, I know it could have been much worse. It’s easier to be on the receiving end of this as a brand than as an individual. There’s more emotional distance and I’ve had a team to support me when it got a bit much.
— Yorkshire Tea (@YorkshireTea) February 24, 2020
But for anyone about to vent their rage online, even to a company – please remember there’s a human on the other end of it, and try to be kind.
— Yorkshire Tea (@YorkshireTea) February 24, 2020
Lovely stuff. And just a few of the things people were saying about it.
Will the Free Speech Union defend the people who have been kicking the verbal shit out of a tea company's social account for three days, or side with the person trying to defend the apolitical nature of a teabag. https://t.co/qxXVwkHELB
— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) February 24, 2020
They need to ban that guy with the black teapot avatar
— Rick Burin (@rickburin) February 24, 2020
He's a right meanie!
— Yorkshire Tea (@YorkshireTea) February 24, 2020
Well handled, team 👏🏻
— Alice Millican✌️ (@alicemmillican) February 24, 2020
This thread, in which Yorkshire Tea politely ask people not to abuse them for a photo they had nothing to do with, made me gesture with vague despair into the void. https://t.co/5ypcjYD3Hg
— Mark Watson (40, but that isn't a big deal) (@watsoncomedian) February 24, 2020
Fancy a cuppa?
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This story of a man angry about teabags is Brexit in 4 parts
Source Twitter @YorkshireTea