Lidl
We carried out a strategic campaign to challenge misconceptions about challenger brand Lidl’s food quality, range and price, and inspire trial amongst middle class consumers. With the goal of targeting broader audiences, focusing on the high-spending middle class, we shone a spotlight on Lidl’s provenance over their products, their buying prowess and their overall business model. We coined the phrase ‘The Lidl Class’ and launched a creative campaign, including a pop-up restaurant, Deluxe, to educate consumers. This successful campaign garnered global attention and was picked up by media all over the world.
What we did
To overcome discounter stigma and target middle class audiences, we leveraged insights from Lidl’s business model to create and open a concept restaurant. The restaurant was positioned as ‘London’s first limited-edition non-restaurant’ in vibrant Spitalfields, offering a three-course menu made entirely from Lidl products with a bill totalling only what it would cost to buy the ingredients from their local Lidl.
To further create buzz for the pop-up, GSC recruited Michelin star chef Kevin Love – who also worked as a Lidl manager in his youth – as the brand’s first ever Chief-in Residence, developing relevancy and legitimacy for the dining experience.
The immersive experience yielded attendance comparable to a ‘real’ restaurant launch, generating a groundswell of consumer buzz and garnering significant coverage across food, lifestyle and soft business editors.
