Asda puts the focus on price in its Christmas campaign

Asda is putting the focus on price in its Christmas campaign, with a TV ad that works as a follow-on to its new positioning launched in September.

The TV spot, created by AMV BBDO, sees the return of Sunny, the star of both its Asda price re-launch and Halloween campaigns. It follows Sunny and his family getting ready for Christmas, showing festive themes such as gifting and the big food shop while also aiming to show Asda’s range across food, decorations and other items.

It heroes items including its ‘Bruce the Brussel Sprout’ cake, vegan bao bun selection and the turkey. It also shows decorations including Asda’s light-up sloth and Santa, as well as a giant installation of a pocket being tapped.

The campaign will run on TV as the full 60-second ad, as well as 20-second versions, while there will also be product-focused spots. It will also run across print, radio and social media.

Asda chief customer officer Anna-Maree Shaw says: “At Asda, we know how important Christmas is for our customers, this year more than ever before. Christmas is going to be a little different for everyone, but through our ‘Asda Price Christmas’ campaign, we want to reassure customers that everyone can have an extra special Christmas at the prices they want, which is why we’re keeping prices magically low.”

Asda is the first of the major grocers to launch its Christmas campaign. Supermarkets face a tricky balancing act between price and quality this year given the Covid-19 pandemic and with new lockdown restrictions about to come into place. Consumer confidence is low, which could have a hit on how much consumers are willing to spend over the festive period this year.

Asda has opted for the price route following the relaunch of its Asda price positioning and the return of the pocket tap earlier this year. Speaking to Marketing Week at the time, Shaw admitted planning communications for Christmas has proved difficult with the Covid situation constantly changing.

She also suggested a high-end production might be out of kilter with the public mood, although believed consumers would still seek some escape from the worries of the year over the festive period.

“You want to have a bit of joy but if it’s over the top it might be seen as being extravagant and that may not suit the mood of the nation. Balancing that is really hard – the hardest part of the job right now,” said Shaw.