Asda has launched its Christmas advert for 2022, and it features a very special film character we all know and love.
Christmas-loving Buddy the Elf, from the 2003 festive classic, has been recruited as a member of seasonal staff in the supermarket - much to the delight of his colleagues.
The brand new 90-second Christmas TV ad uses original footage and iconic lines from the UK’s favourite Christmas film to place the beloved Buddy right at the heart of a bustling Asda store in the build-up to his favourite time of year.
Set to the classic Christmas tune Santa Clause is Comin’ to Town, and created by merging classic film footage with newly filmed scenes, the ad captures Buddy’s wide-eyed wonder and childlike passion for all things festive as he joins the team of staff at Asda.
The film opens with a nod to Elf’s iconic ‘street crossing’ scene – except this time, it’s a train of Asda shopping trolleys, not a New York City cab, that causes Buddy to exclaim “sorry!” as it crashes into him.
This marks the beginning of a chaotic trial shift, which sees Buddy wowing at Asda’s selection of Christmas goodies including some enticing icing sugar sprinkled Extra Special mince pies.
He's also seen to eat all the free maple pigs in blankets samples, distract colleagues with his Christmas plans, and take the chance to sing loudly over the store Tannoy system.
But when the store closes and Buddy adds his own magic touch, decking out the entire shop floor in fairy lights and festive decorations, it's clear to see that Buddy and Asda are a match made in Christmas heaven. He’s got the job – and to his delight, he can stay.
As he dashes out of the store, he runs straight into the same shopping trolleys he encountered on his way in, causing a bemused colleague to smile, as the campaign line ‘Have your Elf a Merry Christmas’ flashes up on-screen.
Sam Dickson, acting chief customer officer at Asda, said: "Like Buddy, we absolutely love Christmas – so we’re thrilled to welcome him to our team. We know this has been a tough year for so many people, which is why we want to create some little moments of joy for families this year with our Christmas campaign, and more importantly, our amazing products.
"We hope that with a little bit of help from Buddy, our joy-filled Christmas offering will create some festive magic and helps give families a Christmas to remember together."
To watch the ad, you can check it out on YouTube or tune into ITV1 at 8.45pm on Friday 4 th November during the Coronation Street ad break.
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