Honest Tea began rolling out its first integrated advertising campaign with the new tagline “Refreshingly Honest”. The ads highlight the true taste of Honest beverages by emphasizing the company’s use of authentic ingredients with a quirky playfulness that stays true to the brand. This is Honest Tea’s first foray into TV commercials, that will also to digital video, social media, out-of-home billboards and transit signage, as well as grassroots events around the country.

“Refreshingly Honest has multiple meanings for us,” said Honest Tea’s co-founder, President and TeaEO Seth Goldman. “It reflects not only the delicious, lightly-sweetened taste of our drinks and the use of real, organic ingredients, but also the honest and transparent nature in which we strive to conduct our business.”

The multi-platform advertising campaign for Honest Tea is designed to expand the base of consumers who enjoy Honest Tea and Honest ADE. “We are committed to bringing organics to more people,” Goldman said, “and now that we have increased our distribution, we need to make people aware of our products.” As a result of Honest Tea’s acquisition by the Coca-Cola Company in 2011, distribution has expanded from 15,000 accounts in 2008 to over 100,000 accounts in 2012.

“The television ad is a playful way to highlight the fact that we make our drinks with real, organic tea leaves and ingredients,” said Honest Tea’s Vice President of Marketing Peter Kaye. The ad depicts animated fake fruit and tea leaves trying to gain access to a bottle of Honest Tea Half & Half organic tea with lemonade, but ultimately leaving frustrated when they are supplanted by real, organic ingredients. “We hope the spots will provoke consumers to think about what goes into the beverages they are consuming.” The ads are scheduled to start July 16th.

To spread the “Refreshingly Honest” attributes of all Honest branded products, the company will use a variety of approaches beyond media this year, including nearly three thousand grassroots events and in-store demonstrations. Brand ambassadors represent Honest Tea through sampling opportunities and interactive events at concerts, festivals, and retail locations.

“There is no better way to convince someone to try Honest Tea than by engaging with them directly, person to person,” said Kaye. “Our teams are passionate about the brand, and that’s why the continued regional events are the foundation of our “Refreshingly Honest” campaign.”

Honest Tea’s creative partner for the new advertising campaign is Amalgamated NYC. The media planning partner is Ikon3.