Asda goes back to 1970s for 'That's Asda Price' return

Asda is once again going back to the future, having already resurrected “Rollback” it is now digging up “That’s Asda Price” from the 1970s, in the first work from agency Lucky Generals, which was appointed to the account in April this year.

The move is straight out of the rulebook of Allan Leighton, the former group marketing director and CEO, who returned in November last year to take up the role of executive chairman. In March, Leighton laid out his four point plan for turning around the retailer and “regaining customers’ trust”, with his strategy focusing on price, product ranges, people and the store experience.

According to the official blurb: “That’s Asda Price is one of the most recognised retail lines in the UK and has always been a promise to hardworking families. But following the retailer’s reintroduction of its Rollback to Asda Price campaign earlier in the year, which has since seen over 10,000 products move to a new, low Asda Price, Asda is doubling down on that promise. The new That’s campaign is giving it new meaning and status in culture by really showing families what it means for them today, in a way that is unique to Asda.”

The campaign will run across multiple channels, with the first TV ad, Barnsley Baby, launching on July 10.

In the 30-second film Barnsley Baby, a mum and her baby, Gary, are shopping at Asda. Gary watches as mum fills the trolley. She counts the products out as she places them on the conveyor in an animated voice “that’s one, that’s two, that’s three” and looks pleasantly surprised at the low cost of her weekly shop when she gets to the till. “That’s good”, she says. Gary the baby, then does more than pleasantly surprise the shocked cashier by saying the infamous line in a broad, deep Yorkshire accent, “That’s Asda Price”, showing that even babies know good honest value when they see it.

Two other iterations of the 30” ad launch later in the summer. The creative concept is to take “That’s Asda Price” and build “cultural stickiness and equity” around the phrase by putting it into the mouths of unexpected characters.

In addition to the three 30-second films, the campaign will span all of Asda’s paid, owned and earned channels, including print, digital, social, in-store executions and PR.

Asda vice president of marketing Adam Zavalis said: “Asda Price has always been a promise of unbeatable value, and in today’s market it’s more relevant than ever. Our mission continues to be the lowest price full-service supermarket in the country and our new campaign further cements our commitment to that. We’re getting behind hardworking families in a way that feels uniquely Asda and showing how Asda Price can make a difference in their everyday lives.”

Lucky Generals CEO Cressida Holmes-Smith added: “To take a classic line such as ‘That’s Asda Price’ and give it new relevance and meaning in culture, as well as supporting Asda’s drive to make life better for hardworking families, has been a great way to kick off our relationship. And we got to have great fun along the way – giving a baby a Yorkshire accent has to be the highlight.”

Whether it will be enough to reverse the decline in sales, down by 0.8% to £21.bn, with like-for-like sales (excluding fuel) down by 3.4%, according to its latest annual results, remains to be seen.