Anyone who knows me, knows that I love Lidl. Every time I go to pay at the till, I am always surprised at how little it costs me and am rarely, if ever, disappointed by the quality of the produce.

They have recently taken another big step up in my book with their most recent advert campaign which addressed the low-price, low-quality perception which has plagued them ever since they came to the UK. 

The #LidlSurprises idea is not anything new. The campaign originally began in 2014, taking place across social media (through incorporating the hashtag into their adverts), on TV and even including customers' tweets in their in-store billboards and posters. The goal was simple: to change customers' perceptions of Lidl products and to buck the myth that low-price means low quality. 

Why is it so successful?

1. Authenticity and a soft approach: the woman in this advert could be anyone. She is obviously not at home on a farm and is enjoying her day out in the country. We connect with her and we can all relate to her misgivings about Lidl products - where does it actually come from? Rather than telling people where it comes from, Lidl invite a typical customer to come and see for themselves. They are open and transparent!
2. Marrying the old and new: Lidl used conventional advertising techniques with newer forms of contact - the TV campaigns were supported by the social media campaign #LidlSurprises (most notably on Twitter). Lidl then incorporated these tweets into their in-store campaigns, enhancing the customer's experience. 
3. Addressing their customers' key concerns: British people were genuinely concerned as to where their food came from. Lidl, instead of just focusing on the value for money they offered, went even further and eased fears with a wholesome and feel-good campaign. 

The result?

Lidl is the fastest growing supermarket in the UK, with sales up 15.4% from last year. 

With this campaign, Lidl showed that they full understood all of their clients' needs and, more importantly, their fears. By communicating with them through a range of mediums, they ensured they hit their target audience in a consistent and timely manner. 

What can businesses learn from this?

• Listen to what your customer wants and speak to them
• Position yourself as a leader: Lidl led on price and now leads on goodwill as well. They understand the average person and cater to their needs. 
• They are proud of what they are and do not shy away from it. Moreover, they turned a low-quality perception into a high-quality, high-value position of dominance!