Resource Type: Case Studies
Tag: Studios
Tag: Financial Services
CASE STUDY
Sending Buddy Viral with Asda Money
Winning Christmas had never been so important, or so difficult for a supermarket brand. Post-Covid Christmas cancellations, 2022 was a big year for the festive season. Expectations were at an all-time high, and the role for brands during Christmas-ad season had grown to new heights in the John Lewis era of powerful and moving festive storytelling creating social media buzz and anticipation.
Resource Type: Case Studies
CASE STUDY
Sending Buddy Viral with Asda Money
Winning Christmas had never been so important, or so difficult for a supermarket brand. Post-Covid Christmas cancellations, 2022 was a big year for the festive season. Expectations were at an all-time high, and the role for brands during Christmas-ad season had grown to new heights in the John Lewis era of powerful and moving festive storytelling creating social media buzz and anticipation.
The Challenge
Asda had an above-the-line (ATL) campaign idea – a Christmas advert starring the iconic Buddy the Elf.
But, in a social-first era where the performance of Christmas adverts relies heavily on social campaigns, the supermarket retailer needed to soft-launch the advert with a winning social media strategy.
With other major superstores also investing heavily in big-budget festive campaigns, Asda not only needed a social media campaign strategy, but one that could cut through the noise and spark conversation.
The goal was clear - to reach one million views in the first 48 hours.
The Solution
We knew that building intrigue and anticipation ahead of the launch would be crucial. And, with Buddy the Elf waiting in the wings, we had the perfect opportunity.
By amplifying the sense that a major reveal was coming, we built momentum across platforms, from whistle-blowing style organic posts to paid teasers that hinted at Buddy’s famous 'uniform'.
To ensure the campaign landed at scale, we partnered with influencers to widen our reach and direct traffic to the YouTube ad. There, a holding page set the stage with a clear countdown, building excitement and encouraging audiences to return at exactly the right time.
The next part was to ensure that maximum eyes would be on the correct link when the ad dropped. To this end, we used influencers to leverage and amplify our creative teasers and drive audiences to the YouTube content, holding a message that confirmed the countdown was on and prepared people to return when the time came.
The Results
Our social campaign played a key role in encouraging a surge of traffic to Asda’s YouTube channel. The advert didn’t just hit the one million view target – it tripled it, reaching three million within the first 48 hours!
Testimonial
“We have been working with THG Studios for a year now and we are delighted with how they have transformed our social media campaigns through their expertise. Their approach to creative is both innovative and engaging for our customers and their service levels are excellent. Nothing is too much trouble - how refreshing!"
Category Planning Manager, ASDA Money