Iconic Christmas character Buddy the Elf, played by Will Ferrell, has been confirmed as Asda’s newest seasonal recruit for its 2022 Christmas advert. Premiering on Friday, November 4, at 8.45pm on ITV1 in the Coronation Street ad break, Asda’s new 90-second Christmas TV ad uses original footage and iconic lines from the film to place Buddy at the heart of a bustling store in the build-up to his favourite time of year, Christmas.
The ad is set to Santa Clause is Comin’ to Town and was created by merging classic film footage with newly filmed scenes. It shows Buddy’s wide-eyed wonder and unbridled passion for all things festive as viewers join him on his first day as a member of the Asda in-store Christmas team.
The film opens with a homage to Elf’s iconic ‘street crossing’ scene except uses a train of Asda shopping trolleys, not a New York City cab, that causes Buddy to shout "sorry" as it crashes into him. This marks the beginning of a wondrous but chaotic trial shift, which sees Buddy marvel at Asda’s selection of Christmas goodies.
