Asda joins a legion of brands truly listening to its community

George at Asda has unveiled a 28-piece adaptive clothing collection for adults with specific medical needs, echoing the efforts of a spate of brands paying attention to the customers they serve.

Launching online on 15 September in tribute to the late breast cancer campaigner Nicky Newman, the range marks a significant expansion of Asda’s adaptive clothing initiative, making it the first UK supermarket to offer such options for both children and adults.

Inspired by Newman’s personal experiences and her 2023 call to action on Instagram, the collection addresses the challenges faced by individuals undergoing medical treatment.

After struggling with the indignity of changing into hospital gowns for scans and port access during chemotherapy, Newman sought to create affordable, comfortable clothing that maintained dignity.

The range

The new range, priced from £11 to £24, includes features like metal-free zips for MRI compatibility, openings for feeding tubes, discreet stoma bag pockets, and easy-access side seams.

Developed over nearly two years with input from Newman, her community, and medical professionals like Sarah Phillips, who lives with a neuromuscular disease, the collection prioritises ‘comfort, functionality, and style’.

Asda, which broke ground in 2023 with adaptive children's wear for conditions like autism, collaborated closely with Nicky and Alex to fulfil her vision. The collection has already garnered praise for its inclusivity and affordability, though some on social media platforms like X have expressed a desire for broader size ranges and in-store availability.

Our take

Asda’s campaign marks a recent shift in DEI-related creative. While many were initially happy to have a brand show solidarity with their cause, a plethora of ‘greenwashing’, ‘wokewashing’ and tokenistic gestures soon diluted the DEI/activism brand landscape, making authenticity a more prized asset.

A new, unwritten, fragmented, but largely unanimous DEI rulebook began to emerge. Brands were urged to listen to the concerns of their minority audiences, run 360-degree campaigns in concert with groups close to a given cause, and involve relevant charities where possible.

Although this is all sound advice, we reckon a new era is emerging, prompted by the backlash to empty, ill-advised campaigns by the likes of Jaguar.

In the last few weeks, ads by Asics, EE, and now Asda have demonstrated a real ‘on the ground’ affinity with unsung cultural concerns. The products, services and marketing have been low-key, poignant and tastefully handled. And it’s hard not to admire the results.