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How Lucky Generals' Cressida Holmes-Smith Put the Grinch Into Asda's Christmas
She hid candy around the store mock-up to keep the kids engaged
Cressida is CEO of Lucky Generals. Previous stints include BBH London and WPP. She has been the driving force behind campaigns for Co-op, GambleAware and The Guardian as well as playing an integral part in winning Asda, George and Irn-Bru.
We spent two minutes with Cressida to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations and recent work she’s admired.
Cressida, tell us…
Where you grew up, and where you live now.
I grew up in the beautiful middle of nowhere on the North Yorkshire Moors mainly surrounded by animals and nature as opposed to where I am now in central London. I had a lot of space to fill, both in a literal sense and in needing to invent things to do.
How you first realized you were creative.
I went to a Quaker junior school which encouraged creativity. There was an emphasis on being inquisitive, open-minded and following your own path and interests. I used to make lots of things: costumes, outfits, drawings of animals, terrible pottery, stories.
A person you idolized creatively early on.
I loved the way the Bloomsbury Group used their houses and furniture as a canvas. How they set up a printing press to self-publish. And even how they lived parentless, outside of the confines of what was considered socially acceptable. Naively, that felt very inspiring as a child.
A moment from high school or college that changed your life.
Turning up day one at the big local high school in a long blue woolen skirt and thick woolen tights (a hangover from Quaker school) when everyone else was wearing tight black flared trousers or lycra mini-skirts and bare legs. I knew I had to change fast to survive. Similarly, on day one of university I greeted my new friend’s supposed parents only to find out they were not her parents at all, but her housekeeper and IT support. Again, a moment of shock and reflection that led me to adapt fast. My northern accent suffered a big blow at this point.
A visual artist or band/musician you admire.
I’ve always wanted to paint like Lucien Freud. In his later work he seems to transform the paint into flesh. I wouldn’t say it’s pure admiration, though. I just read Naked Portrait by his daughter and it’s a good insight into how single-minded he was about his work, to the detriment of everything and everyone else.
A book, movie, TV show or podcast you recently found inspiring.
The Instrumentalist, a book loosely based on a true story of an orphan in Venice who grows up to be a maestro violinist under Vivaldi at a convent. The book questions how much of an influence she was on him and whether she might even have written some of his works.
One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on.
Helping create the “Not for Sale” brand platform for The Guardian. Its fresh, bold designs and confident statements of independence were based on the insight that the organization’s reader-funded model allows it to be open to all, but beholden to no one. This gives it the power to break stories no one else can, but also drives a huge range of emotive reactions that are celebrated in the work. The brand film, directed by New York-based duo Rubberband, shows how The Guardian delights and challenges readers around the world. An ambitious undertaking, the film features a voiceover from writer and artist Inua Ellams.
A recent project you’re proud of.
Bringing the Grinch to U.K. TV screens for Asda’s Christmas ad. From realizations that a real-life Grinch with yellow eyes is terrifying to hiding chocolate bars around the mocked-up store to keep the kids interested—this was a fantastic campaign to work on. Most importantly, it didn’t, like so many other Xmas ads, veer away from its brand promise. The campaign remained rooted in the supermarket’s ongoing strategy, which is built around delivering low prices and great value to hard-working families. Families who have to work even harder at Christmas. You can read more about it here.
Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago.
I made a move to BBH a few years into my career, insisting that I work on the Lynx account because of the amazing work of John Hegarty, Rosie Arnold, David Kolbusz and others. Particularly “Getting Dressed.”
Someone else’s work you admired lately.
While I’m not a football fan, I was touched by the tragic death of Portuguese striker Diogo Jota and, subsequently, the heart-wrenchingly beautiful Tifo and choreography created by Wolves to mark his passing, which went globally viral, and understandably so. So imagine my surprise when I found out our recently hired executive design director, Nathan Carawford, made it (along with some other Wolves fans, called the Old Gold Pack).
Your main strength as a creative person.
Being a business person, too.
Your biggest weakness.
Not being purely creative.
A mentor who helped you navigate the industry.
Ali Jones was my client at The Co-op, but she had the generosity to mentor me then and ever since. It’s great to have her perspective from the other side of the fence.
How you’re paying it forward with the next generation of creatives.
We launched an internship scheme called The Lucky Way designed to discover a new class of adland superstars. But not from the usual recruitment pipelines. Instead, our Generals have been searching in unexpected places, careers and communities, from an exhibition at an arts and film center in Cardiff to a comedy club in Bristol. The idea behind the initiative is to advertise in their world and channels, not the industry’s usual ones, building interest through mystery and intrigue.
What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.
I’d like to own and basically just live in a book shop. I studied English and French literature at university and I’d love to read and talk about books all day. I find it such escapism, even the smell and feel of them.
2 Minutes With is our regular interview series where we chat with creatives about their backgrounds, creative inspirations, work they admire and more. For more about 2 Minutes With, or to be considered for the series, please get in touch.
