Tia Maria and Sophie Ellis-Bextor reunite for festive Espresso Martini campaign
Tia Maria, the UK’s number one coffee liqueur in the off-trade1, is ramping up investment during the key Christmas trading period with the return of its partnership with Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
Running from October 2026 to January 2027, the latest Shake Up The Taste campaign will put the Espresso Martini at the centre of Tia Maria’s festive activity, with paid media expected to deliver more than 113 million impressions across VOD, connected TV, streaming, YouTube, online video and digital out-of-home. The campaign will be supported by social, trade media and retailer activations.
The campaign focuses on the signature serve, the Tia Maria Espresso Martini, which consistently ranks among the top five bestselling cocktails in the UK2, particularly popular with Gen Z consumers enjoying out-of-home occasions.
The continued investment comes as Tia Maria continues to outperform the wider non-cream liqueur category. Year-to-date off-trade volumes are up 3.2%, versus 2.8% for the category3, while on-trade value is up 8.3% over the latest 12 weeks, compared with category growth of 3.8%4.
Building on from the first year of the partnership, the 2025 campaign saw VOD deliver 50% campaign recognition5, while social content proved particularly effective at driving brand discovery. The talent campaign successfully reinforced Tia Maria’s distinctive taste credentials and cocktail versatility, while driving meaningful gains across key brand equity measures.
Speaking about the partnership, Sophie Ellis-Bextor said:
“For me, the festive season is all about getting everyone together, putting the music on and turning any evening into a proper occasion. A Tia Maria Espresso Martini is always my go-to, so I’m thrilled to be working with the brand again this year. Here’s to raising a glass and dancing our way into the new year!”
Re-create Sophie’s favourite festive cocktail – the classic Tia Maria Espresso Martini
Ingredients:
• Tia Maria 25ml
• Vodka 25ml
• Espresso Coffee 25ml
Method: Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker over lots of ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with three coffee beans.
1 NIQ, Vol Yr/Yr in Litres, data to P9 2026
2 CGA by NIQ Mixed Drink Report H1 2025
3 NIQ, Vol Yr/Yr in Litres, data to P9 2026
4 CGA by NIQ, L12 weeks value, data to P6 2026
5 KANTAR, TIA MARIA BRAND EQUITY ADV TRACKING DECEMBER 2025
