Asda has unveiled its Christmas campaign featuring beloved garden gnomes on a mission to prepare stores for Christmas amidst a snowstorm.
- The advertisement begins with Asda employees Maggie and Bill facing logistical challenges due to closed roads between their location and Sheffield.
- In a creative turn, a signal from a gnome alerts hundreds of garden gnomes nationwide to join forces and save the day.
- These gnome commandos, named Max, Gnibbles, Gnorma, Gnicky, and Gnarla, transform the store into a festive wonderland.
- The campaign is set to engage audiences through social media and television, showcasing an array of Asda’s holiday offerings.
Asda’s latest festive advertisement ingeniously incorporates the whimsical charm of gnomes to solve a snowy Christmas challenge faced by employees Maggie and Bill. The ad sets the scene with a snowstorm that has blocked roads, putting the timely festive preparation of the store in jeopardy. It introduces a unique solution where, upon activating a gnome’s nose, a signal summons a plethora of animated gnomes from across various locations, mobilising them into action.
Following the signal, the gnome team comprising Max, Gnibbles, Gnorma, Gnicky, and Gnarla arrives at the Asda store. These carefully characterised garden ornaments quickly set about transforming the store into a magical Christmas display. The ad highlights Asda’s holiday range as the gnomes organize the presentation of items including ‘Exceptional’ mince pies, an eye-catching George ombre sequin dress, penguin bao buns, and a whimsical gingerbread gnome.
As dawn breaks, chief gnome Max announces the commencement of their next journey. The gnomes depart using Asda delivery vans, having successfully readied the store for the holiday season. This imaginative campaign closes on a familiar note, creatively adapting lyrics from Chris Rea’s classic to ‘Driving Gnome for Christmas’, reinforcing the festive theme.
Asda has strategically tapped into the popularity of gnomes within its stores, a theme it has nurtured for several years, now integrated into this Christmas campaign. With over 100,000 gnomes sold over past seasons, their presence in this advertisement underscores their enduring appeal and customer connection. David Hills, Asda’s chief customer officer, explains this campaign as a blend of nostalgia and innovation, reaffirming their commitment to customer satisfaction through a wide variety of quality products under one roof.
The advertisement premiered on social media to gauge initial public reactions before its television debut during a popular viewing slot, aligning with the seasonal ad trends set by other major retailers.
Asda’s creative narrative highlights its ability to innovate in festive marketing by integrating beloved characters to enhance customer engagement and showcase its product variety.