Asda taps B&Q for VP of marketing

Asda has appointed former B&Q marketing director Tom Hampson as vice-president of marketing. Set to join the business in June, he will lead both the Asda and George marketing teams.

Prior to joining B&Q in 2022, Hampson was director of loyalty and insight at Morrisons, and also held marketing director roles at Mamas & Papas and Itsu, alongside various brand roles at Sainsbury’s.

He will report into chief customer officer, Rachel Eyre who says he will “play a pivotal role in driving the growth agenda for two powerhouse British brands”.

“Tom is an experienced and passionate customer and marketing leader who has led transformation and growth through marketing with a number of major UK retailers. He brings deep expertise in customer insight, proposition development and team leadership,” adds Eyre.

His appointment at Asda comes after a year of change for the grocer. Adam Zavalis, Hampson’s predecessor, left the business in November to “pursue new opportunities”.

The role is currently being filled by two interim marketing leads – Pippa Prain, interim senior director of marketing planning, propositions and operations, and Jen England, interim senior director of marketing communications covering Asda’s advertising, social and design teams.

Eyre joined the grocer from Morrisons in May following the departure of David Hills to travel business Jet2. Since being in role, she has bolstered the brand’s customer team, also appointing Chris Chalmers to the newly created role of vice-president of customer data and loyalty and Charlotte Rhodes as vice-president for own brand.

The grocer is currently on a wider turnaround journey led by returning chairman, Allan Leighton. This has included changes in its marketing strategy, including the return of Rollback and the ‘Asda Price’ initiative last year.

Zavalis previously told Marketing Week that it’s “not an overnight turnaround”, but the grocer is well positioned going forward, with its Grinch-themed Christmas campaign used to highlight Asda Price and work as part of its mission to “get confidence back internally and externally” in the brand and build trust.

During the four weeks to 24 December, Asda experienced the biggest decline in market share of the grocers, falling to 11.4% from 12.4% the year prior according to Worldpanel data. NIQ data also highlighted that its sales fell 6.5% in December.

Last month, it started the year strong as it pledged it to cut prices on “thousands” of everyday products to undercut loyalty card prices offered by rivals Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, extending the Asda Price promise.