Exceptional by Asda Photography

Background

Exceptional by Asda was created to redefine the supermarket’s premium tier, replacing the long-established Extra Special range with a brand that feels truly elevated and unified. With hundreds of SKUs spanning multiple categories, photography had a critical role to play in shaping the brand’s visual impact. Unlike other own-label ranges where photography often blends into category norms, Exceptional needed a distinctive and ownable style that could stand out on shelf and become synonymous with Asda’s most premium tier.

Brief

The brief was to create a photography style that was unmistakably Exceptional. It had to spotlight taste above all else, feel modern and cinematic, and avoid the generic cues of own-label food styling. Photography had to drive the brand’s proposition – All. About. Taste. – by putting food centre stage, and nothing else.

Strategy

We analysed own-label photography across multiple tiers — including Asda’s own — and found a homogeneity of casual, lifestyle-driven imagery. The styling and props carried much of the premium signal, rather than the food itself. Our strategy was to flip that convention. For Exceptional, the product would be the hero. Everything else, like styling, background, and props, would recede.

The solution was a cinematic, food-first photography system with drama, precision and restraint.

Design Process

Working closely with specialist food photographers, we created a bold, cinematic look characterised by:

●      Controlled lighting: Using flags to carve sharp, contrasting shadows, focusing the eye on the precise area of the product that makes it exceptional.

●      Minimal propping: Stripped-back styling, architectural compositions and zero background “noise” ensured the food remained the sole focus.

●      Mood and drama: A modern take on moody, sexy photography that draws consumers in through atmosphere, not gimmicks.

Every shot was carefully considered to make the food look mouth-watering, aspirational, and worthy of the Exceptional name.

Result/ Impact

The photography has become a defining element of the Exceptional brand system, instantly recognisable on shelf and distinct from Asda’s other tiers. It elevates perception of quality by allowing the product to do the talking by visually reinforcing the “All. About. Taste.” proposition.

Compared to the casual, copycat photography prevalent across own-label tiers, Exceptional’s cinematic style is unique, modern and ownable. It gives Asda’s premium range a strong visual identity that resonates across categories, from everyday staples to luxury gifting. Since launch, it has helped set Exceptional apart as a credible, elevated offering in the increasingly competitive premium own-brand market.