Revolutionary Marketing Leader from Aldi to Propel Asda's Growth: Meet Adam Zavalis, the New VP of Marketing

Adam Zavalis, former marketing director of Aldi, has been appointed by Asda as vice-president of marketing in a move that the company describes as a "key strategic hire". Zavalis spent a total of eight years at Aldi, contributing significantly to the creation and development of various initiatives, such as the successful 'Like Brands' campaign, the sponsorship of Team GB, and the enduring Kevin the Carrot Christmas campaign. Additionally, under his leadership, Aldi was honored with the prestigious Brand of the Year award at the 2022 Our Website Awards.

Zavalis will be responsible for guiding Asda's marketing team and agency partners in developing campaigns that showcase the brand's products and pricing. He will begin his role at Asda in November and will report to David Hills, the chief customer officer. Hills and Zavalis have previously worked together at Aldi. Hills joined Asda in September to take over from Meghan Farren, the former chief customer officer who left after less than a year to become the managing director of KFC UK. In the interim, the role was handled on a temporary basis by Sam Dickson, the acting chief customer officer.

Upon Hills' appointment, Asda saw it as a defensive tactic to combat Aldi, who had recently surpassed Morrisons as the fourth-largest supermarket chain in the country.

Hills states, "Adam's addition to the customer function is a crucial strategic decision, given his extensive retail and grocery expertise gained during his tenure at Aldi and Boots."

Zavalis brought valuable expertise to Boots during his tenure as VP brand and marketing communications director. In this role, he successfully led the establishment of an internal creative agency and strengthened the company's emphasis on mass personalisation. His remarkable creative intuition and proven record in delivering industry-leading campaigns will greatly contribute to Asda's mission of providing exceptional quality products at unbeatable prices to customers in the UK.

Zavalis departed Aldi in May, following the departure of co-marketing director Sean McGinty in December of last year. McGinty left to assume the top marketing position at Dunelm. Zavalis expresses his admiration for Asda as a well-regarded brand deeply rooted in numerous communities across the United Kingdom.

“It is an honor to be part of a business that has a strong legacy as a champion for consumers and an exciting future,” he expresses.

Zavalis's appointment has come at a time when Lidl has surpassed Asda to become the third-largest supermarket in London, according to Kantar data. Through a £500m investment in brand-building and the opening of nine new stores in 2022, the discounter has achieved a market share of 9.1% in the capital. Not only has Lidl experienced growth in London, but it has also been recognized as the fastest-growing supermarket in the entire UK.

Asda is bolstering its retail media capabilities and emphasizing competitive pricing to combat the growing competition from traditional and online supermarket rivals.