"Because It's Christmas"

1 November 2015

60s

Green supermarket makes fun of Christmas.

Asda's Christmas communication has not been without controversy in recent years and you have to suspect they were determined to create a trouble-free piece of communication with an unambiguous emphasis on fun in the lead-up to the annual spendfest... and they've certainly delivered on that aim with this splendid commercial.

Neil Gorringe's high-energy film runs through a number of seasonal clichés but does so joyously and with a beautifully-judged sense of rhythm which makes each vignette life-affirming, funny and recognisable.

Do supermarkets attach too much importance to their Christmas advertising? If you assume that it's all about one trip to one of their stores in the third week of December then they unquestionably do. After all, even if you purchase enough groceries to feed your family until mid-January, it's extraordinarily unlikely to be the only trip you make to a supermarket between now and then. As important as Christmas is, Asda don't just want you to put your faith in them once a year, they want you to turn up week after week. Christmas is an opportunity for them to make it clear they understand you and your retailing needs and this ad sets out a pretty convincing case.

UK

Supermarkets