Lidl Launches an Animated Christmas You Can Believe in

This morning, Lidl revealed its highly anticipated Christmas ad on Twitter’s ‘First View’ feature, ahead of a full TV launch during tomorrow’s ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’ premiere. 

Building on the success of Lidl’s Christmas campaign last year Big On a Christmas you can believe in, this year’s advert uses an amusing parody in an animated world to support the same sentiment. The ad nods to the unbelievable and unrealistic nature of Christmas ads whilst interrupting these Christmas advertising tropes, and side-stepping them for great Lidl products, at great Lidl prices.

The campaign sits within Lidl’s ‘Big On’ creative framework launched last year with advertising agency Karmarama and looks to highlight the brand’s commitment to being ‘Big on’ quality and always ‘Lidl’ on price. 

Opening with a seemingly traditional scene in which the world is ‘hushed and white with snow’, the sweet toned vocalist questions whether a young girl and robin could be about to spark an unlikely friendship - before abruptly bringing viewers back to reality by reminding them it’s a Christmas ad from Lidl with its award products at low prices!

The ad continues in this theme by making playful references to ‘emotional gravy’ and moments designed to make viewers sad.  For those who take a closer look, Lidl takes one step further when the vocalist explains you ‘don’t need cutesy characters when carrots taste this good’ – before a carrot is unceremoniously poked with a fork. 

A whole host of delicious looking food and drink are shot as real film and contrast against the animated and unrealistic scenes the ad looks to parody. 

Delectable products featured in the ad range include Lidl’s Outstanding-rated Crémant de Loire, its award-winning Deluxe 24 Month Matured Christmas Pudding, and a full festive spread with a free-range British turkey. 

Product prices are put front and centre to demonstrate that if consumers can be assured of at least one thing this year, a Christmas of delicious food at amazing value needn’t be a thing of festive dreams but a reality, and all for a ‘Lidl price’.

Claire Farrant, marketing director at Lidl GB commented: “Traditional Christmas advertising campaigns follow a very traditional formula of fantastical situations, stories and food - all of which are perfect for disruption. This year, we’ve parodied these tropes to show that Lidl’s incredible quality and value can give customers a Christmas reality they really can believe in.”

Nik Studzinski, chief creative officer at Karmarama, as part of Accenture Interactive commented: “At the end of a year that hasn’t given us too much to smile about, our Christmas campaign for Lidl makes a little bit of fun at the clichés of Christmas advertising. We don’t want any of your ‘emotional gravy’ thank you very much. Just give us a Christmas we can believe in.”

Reflecting the challenging realities some people face this Christmas, Lidl has also launched the ‘Teaming up to Tackle Hunger’ scheme – a retail first which allows customers to donate essential food items directly to their local community at the till, with the retailer matching every donation made.

The initiative forms part of Lidl’s ongoing partnership with Neighbourly, which has seen Lidl donate over six million meals to an existing network of 2,220 local charities.