From 'feeling the pinch' to the Grinch: creating Asda's Xmas ad

How did the idea of bringing the Grinch into Asda’s festive campaign come about?

The idea for Asda’s Grinch campaign began with a simple truth: everyone’s feeling the pinch right now. Christmas — a season already loaded with financial pressure — only amplifies that. 

It was all about creating a Grinch who kept the iconic DNA, but could also carry the emotional beats of our story.

We wanted to acknowledge that reality, but also remind people that the magic of Christmas doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.

How was the collaboration with Dr Seuss Enterprises?

We can’t speak highly enough of the Dr Seuss team; they were keen to harness and retain all the magic and personality from the original Grinch but allowed us the freedom to create something a little different. They were a very supportive partner throughout.

Talk to us about the process of coming up with the design of the Grinch?

In the ad, we wanted to show the Grinch not just as a caricature, but as part of a family, our Grinchy father figure — still mischievous, still himself, but with real warmth and charm. 

A Grinch who felt instantly recognisable, but also belonged in our Asda world. The idea was to frame him as a Grinchy father figure — still mischievous, still spiky, but with a hint of warmth that makes him part of a family.

The lead actor spent around four hours each day in the makeup chair as the prosthetics team experimented with sculpt after sculpt.

We worked super closely with Dr. Seuss, where we did lots of R&D into everything from colour and proportions to facial expressiveness. The challenge was finding that sweet spot where he could swing between cantankerous and unexpectedly charming without losing the authenticity of the classic character. 

We toned down anything too exaggerated, focused on subtle emotion, and made sure his fur and facial features worked well on camera.

Above: Asda's Grinch had to be both a Christmas-hating sourpuss and a family man. 

Can you share any directives/constraints from the brand and how that affected your creative choices?

Yes, sure – there weren’t any! Asda just wanted to make him as engaging and entertaining as possible. Oh, and it was kind of helpful that he is green.

Can you elaborate on the creation of the prosthetics and costume?

We used in-camera prosthetics and practical effects, working closely with top costume and prosthetic designers to nail every detail — the fur texture, the skin tone, even the subtleties of expression. Re his wardrobe – he’s still a dad – never before have you seen the Grinch in his jeans, jumper and a winter coat.

The lead actor spent around four hours each day in the makeup chair as the prosthetics team experimented with sculpt after sculpt to keep every subtle facial movement alive. 

The biggest creative challenge was maintaining expression. Prosthetics can easily deaden a performance — and a Grinch without movement isn’t much of a Grinch.

With the exception of a minor digital adjustment to the lips, nearly everything you see was captured in camera. In the workshop, countless prototypes were tested to perfect that distinctive pistachio-green hue and achieve eyes that still felt convincingly human, even in tight close-ups.

The biggest creative challenge was maintaining expression. Prosthetics can easily deaden a performance — and a Grinch without movement isn’t much of a Grinch. 

We carried out extensive rehearsal sessions to help the actor master tiny expressions beneath layers of latex. The prosthetics crew continually refined the design to allow for delicate motions — a lift of the cheeks, a flicker of a smile — while VFX simply supported what the makeup couldn’t. That attention to detail meant our Grinch could show warmth and emotion without ever losing his mischievous edge.