Speaking at MAD//UpNorth in February, Adam Zavalis revealed how Asda is reigniting its roots, brand voice, and customer connection—powered by purpose, pride, and bold pricing.

Adam Zavalis, VP of Marketing at Asda, brought a compelling mix of personal insight, brand strategy, and Yorkshire pride to the stage at MAD//UpNorth. With a rich career that spans both agency and client-side roles — from Nissan and Rolls-Royce to Aldi and Boots — Zavalis used his time on stage to unpack how he’s helping steer Asda back to its distinctive roots while injecting modern relevance into its messaging.

Zavalis' track record in revitalising heritage brands gave him the perfect springboard for tackling Asda's evolution. Reflecting on his early days agency-side and at brands like Nissan, he said: "We took all that heritage and told the story in a very modern way — that’s what great branding is about."

He applied that philosophy at Aldi, where he helped shape a brand identity rooted in value and humour — but it was Asda’s deeper legacy as a campaigner for working families that really resonated with him. “Asda’s always campaigned for the things that matter — from affordable school shirts to removing tax from sun cream,” he noted, highlighting the company’s rich, if sometimes forgotten, tradition of customer-first innovation.

Under Zavalis' leadership, Asda is dialing up its northern roots and reclaiming its distinctiveness. One small but telling move was replacing a neutral southern voiceover with Yorkshire-born actor Jodie Whittaker in its ads. “We’re from Leeds. We should be proud of that. Brands do best when they’re authentic to their origins,” he said.

But heritage alone isn’t enough. As Zavalis pointed out, Asda must be competitive in today’s tight economic climate. The brand has relaunched its iconic ‘Rollback’ campaign and is leveraging retail media and loyalty data to deepen its customer relevance. “We’re not just rolling back to nice round prices. We’re asking our teams to find those extra pennies — it’s about squeezing every bit of value out,” he explained.

Looking ahead, Zavalis emphasised the importance of staying close to the customer, continuing Asda’s fight for value, and crafting stories that cut through. He’s also investing in talent, creating the “Next Level” initiative to grow marketing skills internally.

As Zavalis put it, “We’re going back to our DNA, but delivering with modernity.” It’s a philosophy that’s not just reviving Asda’s brand — it’s making it resonate for a new generation of customers.