


How did Celestial Seasonings determine its rich brand aesthetic and design?Ĭelestial packaging is an enduring and endearing ingredient to our success. The artwork for Celestial Seasonings packaging is so colorful and comforting, with a design for every season. It’s an honor that more and more people are not only choosing Celestial teas, but also turning to tea in record numbers from other beverages. People are now actively seeking comfort, a healthier lifestyle, and health-infused products. While we’ve always had a strong community, we’ve seen it broaden this year, including the notably larger segment of young men enjoying our Sleepytime line (they call themselves “Sleepytime bros”). This year in particular has been especially meaningful as families find new rituals and comforts at home. Hot tea season, which is October through March, is always extraordinary. It’s the heritage and heart of our company, and it’s why our customers keep coming back. Most importantly, we’ve always hung our hat on flavor. We offer relaxing herbal teas, energizing black and green teas, and everything in between. More than five decades later, we’re a trusted brand with a mission to bring balance to our customers’ day. The company was founded in 1969 in Boulder, Colorado. What can you tell us about Celestial Seasonings and the extraordinary role tea plays in the pandemic?Ĭelestial Seasonings is a pioneer in herbal tea. We had the great fortune of being able to speak with Collins at Celestial Seasonings about the Sleepytime Bear’s origins, the fascinating stories built into the brand’s packaging designs, “Sleepytime Bros,” and what makes Celestial Seasonings so beloved with tea lovers in the tea community. All other details surrounding the Sleepytime Bear, however, remain a bit mysterious in the brand icon space. There is also a plush bear available to buy from the Celestial Seasonings shop.

What do we know about the Sleepytime Bear? In 1973, artist Beth Underwood was commissioned to draw the character that would illustrate the tea’s packaging. And a community of young men enjoying Sleepytime tea known as the “Sleepytime Bros” have emerged as a new customer segment, according to Tim Collins, General Manager and VP of Marketing at Celestial Seasonings. The caption “me every day at 5:37 PM” accompanied the iconic bear’s image and received over 210k likes. Shortly after Daylight Savings Time in November 2020, the Sleepytime Bear became part a viral meme on the popular My Therapist Says Instagram account. In an uncertain time, people have been able to turn to hobbies and daily routines - like brewing and drinking tea - that provide gentle comfort to the soul.Īmid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sleepytime Bear himself has experienced a resurgence in popularity. Musician Taylor Swift released an album, Folklore, as the official soundtrack for donning a cardigan, curling up in a blanket, and journaling for hours. The cottagecore aesthetic, a stylized image of a slowed down life, has many pinning cabin hideaways, loaves of bread, and candlelit dinners on their Pinterest boards. Rituals like baking, gardening, and sewing have all garnered renewed interest across generations. In an unprecedented year marked by social distancing to flatten the coronavirus curve, people have sought out the simple pleasures found in being at home. Seated in a cozy chair with a teacup and teapot at his side, the Sleepytime Bear enters a serene slumber that one may only naturally ease into after sipping Celestial Seasonings herbal tea. The roaring fire in the hearth before him warms the room, one scene inside a cottage where other bear family members are settling in for the night. He is a brown bear wearing a long nightshirt and red nightcap. For nearly 50 years, boxes of Celestial Seasonings herbal tea have been adorned with rich illustrations of the Sleepytime Bear.
