Asda Drops Spokeswoman in Attempt to go ‘Upscale’

Wal-Mart’s UK arm Asda has decided to part ways with long-time spokeswoman Coleen McLoughlin. The reason? Asda’s decided to go ‘upmarket.’ Like its U.S. counterpart, it seems Asda has its sites set on wealthier customers. Will the U.K. retailer’s plan similarly backfire?

Coleen McLoughlin dumped as face of Asda as retail giant bids to go upmarket [Daily Mail (U.K.)]

Asda has dumped Coleen McLoughlin as the face and shape of its women’s clothing range as it seeks to move upmarket.

Wayne Rooney’s 22-year-old fiancee was told her services were no longer required when her £3million, two-year contract came to an end last month.

The supermarket giant is setting its sights high in the quest for a replacement with targets such as Joanna Lumley, Helen Mirren, Sienna Miller and, according to one source yesterday, French president’s wife Carla Bruni.

Miss McLoughlin’s spokesman said: “The contract came to a natural end. Asda are changing their campaign to go after thirtysomethings, which is plainly not Coleen’s demographic.”

He added however: “She is currently in talks with a number of other High Street brands.”

And a source close to Coleen added that the contracts she is associated with in the next two years are “worth a total of £10 million to her”.

Coleen, 22, was chosen for the George at Asda campaign to appeal to ordinary shoppers who could identify with someone who was not a stick thin model.

In turn, she helped the store’s own sales by wearing George outfits to high profile celebrity events.

However in a hint perhaps of the break-down of her relationship with Asda, she went to Aintree earlier this month in a £1,500 Balenciaga dress.

George brand director Fiona Lambert admitted changes were being made.

She said: “Coleen has been a fantastic ambassador for us and we can’t thank her enough. She has worn George clothing to star studded events, always looked gorgeous and helped us at every opportunity.

“But its time to change the emphasis a little. We want to show that our core fashions are for everyone.

“Customers want us to concentrate on better designs and better quality but still maintain great value prices.”

Coleen signed for Asda just before the World Cup in Germany in 2006, a tournament which then pushed footballing WAGs - Wives And Girlfriends - firmly into the limelight.

Asda also signed Rooney at the same time but dropped him again after he was injured.

Coleen went on to sign further deals including a £1.5 million contract with sportswear brand Nike Women and launch her own eponymous perfume.

And ITV2 has just signed her up for a second series of Coleen’s Real Women.

But Asda is keen to become more like Marks & Spencer and ditch any associations it may have with what some upmarket consumers see as ‘Chav’ culture.

It wants to attract a middle class customers who may do their food shopping elsewhere but will come to Asda especially for clothes.

The Must Have range which was promoted by Coleen is being dropped and replaced with a new line called G21 for the 15-24 year-old age group.

There will also be a new women’s brand called Moda and a man’s one called Boston Crew.

Asda may recruit a male celebrity too for some advertising in the way that M&S hired Hollywood star Antonio Banderas for its Christmas campaign.

At the moment Asda has an eight per cent share of the UK clothing market but wants to overtake M&S which has a 12 per cent share.