The Famous Q&A with ~ Ben Newbury
Ben Newbury is Head of Brand Marketing at Yorkshire Tea. Former art student turned sales, then marketing professional. With 15+ years’ experience, proudly building brands from the North — including helping Yorkshire Tea grow from challenger to UK No.1. Proof that creativity, collaboration and commercial sense aren’t region‑locked.
Ben will be speaking at Famous Campaigns Live on April 29 – a must-watch talk about humour, relevance, and creating emotional connection at scale.
What’s exciting you most in your role right now?
Loads of things excite me right now. We’ve been really focused on the product side of our marketing mix, with a new Iced Tea landing in summer 2026, a new range of teas later this autumn, and some wonderful comms to support it all.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
Never leave a job because of one person. Never start a job because of one person.
Share a past campaign you’re proud to have been part of
Honestly, all of the Yorkshire Tea campaigns have my heart — particularly Sean Bean. It was a pivotal moment in the evolution of Where Everything’s Done Proper.
A brand you admire from afar — and why?
I really admire Tony’s Chocolonely. Not only do they make amazing chocolate, but it comes from a genuinely good place about driving change in the industry. Having bumped into a few of their team over the years, I can also say they’re great people.
What’s one thing great agencies do that average ones don’t?
Listen. It’s not revolutionary, but you’d be surprised how many don’t actively listen, show they’ve heard and understood, then come back based on that. It’s especially powerful when they listen first and then confidently challenge or argue a point.
What’s the hardest part of being a brand‑side marketer that agencies rarely see?
It’s not necessarily hard, but I think many agencies — particularly creatively focused ones — don’t always see the breadth of a brand team’s remit. Some days stretch across commercial, promotion, pricing, product, channel, customer relations, internal alignment, strategy, and everything in between. That context can sometimes get missed.
The most challenging brief you’ve worked on
Taylors of Harrogate Coffee — Home of Extraordinary Flavour.
My first and most challenging brief. A real baptism of fire into brand campaigns and positioning. I still love the ads.
A marketing or business book you’d recommend
How to Eat the Big Fish — essential reading for challenger brands.
What separates famous brands from forgettable ones?
Distinctiveness. Standing out in a sea of sameness. It doesn’t need to be wildly different, but it needs to be distinctive and personal to the business, the brand, the consumer — and in clear contrast to the competitive set.
A brand campaign you admire (not one of yours)
I’m really liking the current GoCompare ads. They feel grounded in truth, genuinely funny, and refreshingly different from the category norm.
How are you feeling about A.I. and its impact on marketing?
I go through waves. Overall, I’m leaning positive. From the simple efficiencies — like Copilot helping us find files — to the creative challenge it’s waking us up to. I see it as our responsibility to stay authentic, do things properly, and be creative. Creativity is still the thing AI isn’t great at.
If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?
I’d get rid of the waffle and acronyms — particularly in the digital space.
What’s a small habit or routine that helps you do your best work?
It’s a classic, but if I’m stuck or starting something new, a quick walk almost always helps me move forward.
One piece of advice for someone considering a career in marketing
Do it — but don’t worry if your path is a wobbly one. Some of the best people have come through sales, ops, agency, brand, comms and everything in between. If you can, find a brand you personally align with — it makes the work far more fulfilling.
If you weren’t doing this job, what would you be doing instead?
Depends — have I won the lottery? If so, I’d be travelling the world, probably on a motorbike, with a stint being an artist somewhere warm.
