21 | Looking Back on Exceptional by Asda

The supermarket’s most ambitious own-label launch to date, Exceptional set out to reimagine what premium could look like on supermarket shelves – and how design can elevate quality perception without losing accessibility. Partnering closely with ASDA, we developed the creative direction, packaging, and rollout for the new premium tier, replacing Extra Special with a brand built around one simple idea: All. About. Taste.

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Spanning more than 1,000 SKUs, Exceptional touches almost every food category, from fresh meat and bakery to Christmas centrepieces. It represents a complete rethink of how a supermarket brand can communicate indulgence, craftsmanship and confidence while still feeling unmistakably ASDA. The new visual system, featuring a refined green and gold palette, a crafted ‘E’ monogram, and  cinematic, food-first photography, is designed to make premium feel elevated yet accessible.

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Our Creative Strategy

Now, in a detailed Brand Focus feature for FMCG CEO, Our Design Director Joe Wallis reflects on the creative strategy and collaboration behind the project. The piece goes beyond the visual outcomes to unpack the thinking that shaped them: how ASDA sought to reclaim credibility in the premium space, how the design balances consistency and individuality across categories, and how storytelling became central to every pack.

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Revisiting Exceptional in this way has been a reminder of the value of reflection in creative work. When you’re deep in the momentum of delivery, it’s easy to move on to the next brief without pausing to consider what you’ve learned. Looking back allows you to see the bigger picture, including the choices that mattered, the challenges that shaped the result, and the people who brought it to life.

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The Legacy of Exceptional

Exceptional remains one of our proudest collaborations, not only for the scale and craft involved but for what it represents – the power of design to drive perception and business impact in one of the most competitive sectors of all. As ASDA’s new top-tier brand, it continues to strengthen the retailer’s tiering strategy and redefine what supermarket premium can mean for today’s mixed-basket shopper.

Thanks to FMCG CEO for the opportunity to take a step back and share the creative thinking behind Exceptional — and to everyone at ASDA and OurCreative. who made it possible. It’s a project that continues to inspire how we think about strategy, storytelling and design at scale.

Read the full article on FMCG CEO or get yourself a print copy.

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