PepsiCo’s Lipton tea brand has partnered with Grammy Award-winning trio Lady Antebellum to roll out a new North American campaign that celebrates iced tea, music and entertainment. The new Lipton Tea & Honey iced tea mixes and Lipton 100% Natural ready-to-drink bottled iced tea will be the focus of the advertising.

Photo: the new Lipton Tea&Honey

Being a part of partnership between Pepsi Lipton and Unilever, the campaign includes TV, print, radio, digital, online, and retail integrations and will cost double as much as the marketing initiatives from 2011.

Lady Antebellum’s platinum third disc ‘Own The Night’ debuted at the No. 1 position on Billboard’s Top 200 in November 2011 and got the trophy for Best Country Album at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. The band will give concerts across the country in support of the Lipton iced tea.

Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott commented: «All three of us grew up drinking Lipton tea, and we always have a well stocked supply on the bus. Plus, we love the ‘Drink Positive’ message and are excited about connecting with our fans on a whole new level through this campaign.»

«Lipton is proud to partner with Lady Antebellum to bring exciting content to our fans this summer,» says Marc Hanson, of the Pepsi-Lipton Partnership. «Lipton and Lady Antebellum share a positive and approachable style, and we’re excited to bring the ‘Drink Positive’ spirit to life—together—in a big way this year.»

In addition, Lipton will launch new product including a new 64oz family size 100% Natural Lipton Iced Tea and Lipton Tea & Honey, a line of iced tea mixes that are sweetened with honey and made from real tea leaves and six real fruit flavors. Samples of this new tea are available now at www.liptonteaandhoney.com for US citizens only. Consumers can visit the site and get it for free. The tea will hit the stores starting mid-March.

Another Pepsi-Lipton iced tea brand, Brisk, launched its Star Wars ad campaign in January.