Earlier this week, Asda’s re-branded Just Essentials range came under fire for its bright yellow branding with some shoppers claiming that the design acts as a ‘poverty marker’, drawing attention to those who buy the cheaper products.
Now the largest value range in the UK, with more than 300 lines available, Just Essentials products hit the shelves back in May as part of an initiative to help families feeling the pinch cost-of-living crisis.
While many shoppers have embraced the ‘cheaper than cheap’ product lines on offer, others believe the branding could cause embarrassment and induce a sense of shame.
The supermarket itself, however, has said it doesn’t “understand why anyone would feel embarrassed for saving money” and described the “vibrant new yellow brand” as a clear marker to “help customers find products easily in stores and online”.
An Asda spokesperson told Grocery Gazette: “We are delighted by how much our customers are loving the new Just Essentials range, as shown by the great response and how they continue to add Just Essentials products to their basket every time they shop.”
Despite the supermarket’s assertions, some shoppers took to Twitter to vent their frustrations.
“What they have done is re-branded “Smartprice” into “Just Essentials”, which has the most ridiculous bright yellow packaging now which just screams “WE ARE POOR!” for any shopper buying them,” one user added.
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What they have done is rebranded "Smartprice" into "Just essentials", which has the most ridiculous bright yellow packaging now which just screams "WE ARE POOR!" for any shopper buying them.
My local Asda is awful for stock control, the shelves are always bare.
— Andrew Roberts 💬🏳️🌈 #PutinIsAWarCriminal (@AndyMRoberts) July 1, 2022
Another said: “Probably too close to the stigmatised Kwiksave branding of the 90s. The way it screams ‘inferior product’ and that people on lower incomes don’t deserve nice design and should have a basket full of poverty markers. I’ll get over it, but it feels like a big step backwards.”
Probably too close to the stigmatised Kwiksave branding of the 90s. The way it screams 'inferior product' and that people on lower incomes don't deserve nice design and should have a basket full of poverty markers.
I'll get over it, but it feels like a big step backwards.
— Wilbur Mudd (@politicalfubol) July 16, 2022
Is Asda’s Just Essentials is a branding nightmare?
Branding expert and brand manager of The Fragrance Shop, Anastasiya Plocco K., has sided with the negative perception of the Just Essentials design.
“This situation highlights the importance of taking into account customer perception before making such a drastic change,” she says.
“Marketers need to remember that people often like what feels familiar and are initially adverse to big changes.”
Colour association is key when creating branding which resonates with the desired audience, and this is especially true with regards to grocery products. While Asda intended to stand out and create a theme with the bright yellow colouring, Plocco believes that the colour yellow can have negative connotations.
“Yellow can represent happiness and joy but is also often associated with cheap fast food. The eye catchy-ness may also mark shoppers out, along with their economic situations.”
“While the proposition to support families suffering from rising prices is fantastic, I would suggest that Asda go back to its original branding for the range. If people begin to feel uncomfortable when buying these items, they may start to look elsewhere for value items.”
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Why bright and bold is a ‘great choice’
On the other hand, logo and brand identity designer Karl McCarthy understands why the ‘big four’ grocer went with the design.
“With its bright yellow background and block lettered labels it would be hard to miss the products on the supermarket shelf. The heavily yellow branding has been chosen because it’s a colour that attracts attention and can even sway a buyer into purchasing. The choice of colour and branding separate the line from other products.”
McCarthy believes that from a branding perspective the design is a “great choice” and is “lively, fun and energetic.”
“While the big bold letters design is a little basic, it is also very straightforward and reflects the everyday essential products that Asda are selling.”
Kitty Lai, branding expert and co-founder and director of Kit London, also feels the range is a positive move from Asda.
“In this current climate ‘savings’ is all households think about (rich or poor), so I don’t understand why people would shame this as a ‘poverty marker’! Everyone has a budget and for a essentials range this is nicely designed branding. I would gladly have these items in my basket … no thought about it.”
Despite the fact that McCarthy sides with some positive opinions of the branding, the designer also accepts the idea that the range draws unwanted attention to “something that a lot of people feel embarrassed about.”
“If you are on a tight budget you will be actively looking for the cheapest price label. You don’t need bright yellow packaging for that,” he says.
“When I was younger the cheaper supermarkets labelled the basic-type products with white packaging and big bold letters stamped on it saying ‘No Frills’. I feel this design can be construed as similar, but with yellow packaging instead.”
What are the competition doing?
While Waitrose’s Essential line shares a number of similarities with Asda’s value line, bossing a simple white background, it is markedly more muted and less immediately ‘obvious’ – both on the shelf and in the trolley.
Supermarket rivals Tesco and Sainsbury’s recently ditched the simple designs which were being used across their value ranges, opting for a more premium look which at first glance appears to be from a separate supplier entirely.
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The layout schemes and names of the products allude to the products being sourced locally and have no obvious markers which make them appear to be cheaper than other lines.
McCarthy added: “Tesco’s own low-value products for example have branding that feels premium and unlike something you’d expect from a budget option. It’s not trying too hard to stand out it and it appeals to all kinds of shoppers on any budget.”
“If you compare Asda essentials branding to other supermarkets own range of cost-effective products you will see that Asda’s is the one that really stands out.”
Creating branding that stands out on the shelf but is not immediately recognisable in the trolley is a big ask and so its no surprise that supermarkets have taken a number of different approaches to it over the years.
With both consumers and marketers opinions differing wildly on the matter, Asda is ultimately stuck between a rock and a hard place, but – for the moment at least – seems likely to stick to its bright yellow guns.
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