Asda’s Prices Get the Grinch to Enjoy Christmas in Festive Ad

There’s no bigger Christmas sceptic than the Grinch. We all know it but only Asda is prepared to do something about it. For its 2025 Christmas ad and campaign, the UK supermarket enlisted the familiar fuzzy character to prove to UK shoppers that if the Asda Prices are good enough to impress the Grinch, they’re certainly going to impress them too.

The Christmas campaign’s 90-second hero film, 'A Very Merry Grinchmas' – created by Lucky Generals and directed by Dexter Fletcher – has the Grinch huffing and puffing about the holiday when he sees the prices of essentials and luxuries alike. He takes enough umbrage to begin asking, “Are they taking the p…” just as a fortunately-timed trumpet sounds out the naughty word.

The Grinch then launches into an alternative version of Dean Martin’s ‘Let It Snow’ with the lyrics directly stating that the ‘prices this year are frightful’. Suddenly, attracted by the green glow of the Asda logo, he’s drawn into a store where he’s greeted with an abundant range of products at prices that make his wallet happy. Soon enough – but not without cheer, effort, and persuasion – he even starts to like shopping. Asda finally manages to do where many others have failed: get the Grinch to enjoy Christmas.

It’s a bold creative and strategic move from the supermarket and its agency, nodding very directly at the nation's mood to acknowledge that while Christmas should be about joy and cheer, many people are struggling, with Asda offering a way to alleviate the creeping costs that add up quickly over the festive season. This positioning furthers the supermarket’s ongoing strategy, That’s Asda Price, centred around delivering low prices to hard-working families who demand value.

“A lot of brands take a ‘strategic holiday’ for Christmas,” say Lucky Generals’ creative directors Nick Bird and Lee Smith. “They seem to forget what they stand for and offer customers in the pursuit of making a big Christmas ad. We were determined not to do that and still make sure our Christmas message was rooted in ‘Asda Price’.”

Nick and Lee worked on the campaign with the knowledge that “Asda’s customers, which are generally hardworking families, properly LOVE Christmas. More than most actually. But the pressure to make Christmas brilliant can put a lot of burden on the old wallet or purse – especially in these times.”

Ignoring the nation’s mood wasn’t an option. “We decided to recognise this tension and offer a solution in the form of Asda Price. Because Asda has rolled back the price of everything you need for the season, from the food to George Clothing to decorations and gifts. So you can make Christmas amazing, without breaking the bank,” they say.

Getting the Grinch to star in the festive ad made a lot of sense creatively. “In every family there’s one person who’s a bit of a Grinch about the cost of Christmas,” Nick and Lee say, “but thanks to Asda Price they don’t have to be! So in our campaign we see a slightly Grinchy Dad introduced to Asda Price by his family and converted to the biggest lover of the season. Because we’ve got ‘Prices no one can be a Grinch about!’”

Pairing a classic character with a classic Christmas song was a no brainer though it was challenging with the team considering a few different possibilities. “Some publishers are more protective over how much they will or won’t allow you to tinker with their lyrics. What we knew we wanted was a Christmas fav – a proper good sing-a-long that everyone knows,” they explain.

‘Let it Snow’ rose to the top and it’s instantly recognisable by many. As for giving the lyrics an Asda twist, the team “had a blast coming up with twists that fitted the storyline and trying to squeeze in as many colloquial terms along the way. Lyrics very much aimed as a wink to our audience. Things that chimed with them,” say Nick and Lee.

For Nick and Lee acknowledging the high cost of Christmas while communicating the magic and cheer of the season are not mutually exclusive. “It should be possible to do both and lean into a relatable insight while being entertaining, joyous and spreading some Christmas cheer. And this campaign still bags a tonne of fun.” In bringing the two ideas together, the spot offers a kind of magical realism that strikes an honest and festive chord at once.

The festive campaign spans the full-suite of Asda’s marketing channels, including print, out-of-home, and more. Along with the 60-second brand ad, a 90-second film will premiere on Asda social channels while the Grinch will continue to pop up throughout the festive season in three-second mission-led formats, showcasing some of Asda’s mouth-watering festive foods.