Why Lucky Generals is bringing back ‘That’s Asda Price’

After holding the account for four years, Havas was replaced by Lucky Generals, part of the Omnicom network, earlier this year. Now, the classic line is back on British TV screens, rebooted with heart, humor and a rather unexpected voice.

Enter the ‘Barnsley Baby’

The launch film, ‘Barnsley Baby,’ follows a mum and her baby, Gary, on their weekly Asda shop. As she cheerfully loads the conveyor belt, counting items aloud, she pauses in delight at the low price at the till.

“That’s good,” she remarks. Then comes the twist. Gary the baby turns to the cashier and delivers the line in a comically deep Yorkshire accent: “That’s Asda Price.”

Making the line a ‘colloquialism’ once again

Bringing such a well-known slogan back into play isn’t without risk. But it also creates space for evolution.

“Today’s market reality means we have to evolve the phrase’s meaning from a rational comparison to a heartfelt promise, a promise we are working hard for hard-working families, because we understand them and their challenges,” said Cressida Holmes-Smith, chief executive officer at Lucky Generals.

“That is why we are reinvigorating and reinstating ‘That’s Asda Price’ as a colloquialism that lives in culture. Putting it in the mouths of unexpected characters, such as a baby from Barnsley, allows us to do that.”

According to Holmes-Smith, the brief from Asda was clear-cut. “To demonstrate Asda’s price leadership and commitment to hardworking families, by communicating how Asda is rolling back the price of the weekly family grocery shop.”

Everyday relevance for modern families

Adam Zavalis, vice-president of marketing at Asda, emphasized that grounding the work in relatable, real-world situations was key. “A key part of this campaign is showcasing that Asda Price can really make a difference in our customers’ everyday lives, so capturing scenarios which they can relate to is vital,” he said.

“Customers will see various scenarios, with the first iteration of this campaign being our ‘Barnsley Baby’ film. The challenge has been making sure we’re tapping into the right human truths and we believe that this campaign delivers against that objective.”

The campaign was directed by Brad Lubin of Another Film Company, with two more spots set to debut later in the summer.

Zavalis believes that the timing couldn’t be more appropriate. “Asda Price has always been a promise of unbeatable value and, in today’s market, it’s more relevant than ever.”

Northern humor

Humor plays a central role in the campaign – and with good reason.“We wanted to create something fun which feels uniquely Asda, but at the heart of it demonstrates our continued mission to be the lowest price full-service supermarket,” Zavalis explained.

“The Asda personality is something which is well-talked about and I think it goes right back to our roots. We’ve got that cheeky Northern charm and a lot of what we’re doing this year is recognizing that, taking a concept like Asda Price, which is ingrained in our heritage, and making it meaningful to customers in the modern world.”

Holmes-Smith added: “Simply put, humor is a great way to make ‘That’s Asda Price’ culturally relevant and meaningful again and Asda has more right to play in that space than most as a heart of the nation brand.”

High expectations

As the first work from Lucky Generals for the brand, expectations are high. But both agency and client are optimistic about the impact. “Yes, of course there is pressure for it to perform and to be effective,” Holmes-Smith acknowledged. “However, following extensive testing and strong customer feedback, we are confident it will be a success.”

Zavalis also noted that the concept had been in the works from the very start of Lucky Generals’ involvement. “It’s been great working with Lucky’s on this brief. It first presented this concept to us during the pitch phase, showing us it truly understand our customers and what Asda Price has to mean to them today, so it’s been fantastic to see all of that come to life.”

Back to its roots

The campaign also aligns with a broader transformation at Asda. Since Zavalis joined from Aldi in 2023, the brand has undergone a rebrand that has been praised for leaning back into its identity.

At the time, Zavalis described it as his “biggest challenge to date,” telling The Drum that the brand was “back to its roots” and embracing the “Great British humor” it aspired to “own and be known for.”