The best quality/price ratio for all.
Since 2012, Novembre Creative Business Partner supports the brand’s repositioning in France which has decided to exit the hard discount segment.
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Today, Lidl France has 1600 points of sale on the French territory and offers a high-performance racing experience in efficient locations with recognizable and pleasant design. The strategic combination helped the brand gain market share in France (from 5.3% in 2017 to 7.2% in early 2022).
The penetration rate rose from 56.9% to 60.9% in two years with the recruitment of 1.3M customers (source: Kantar 2022)
Revenue of €14.5B in 2020 increased by +14% vs 2019 (source: Top 100 LSA)
How does advertising support the performance of this retailer?
First, a long-term strategy is applied by the brand, which maintains a transparent relationship with the agency. The result: everyone knows how to react quickly and with agility.
Second, the power and optimization of media investments +27% (source : Kantar media, brut investments 2020-21).
A transversal and universal concept “On est mal patron” (« We’re in trouble, boss »)
On March 1, 2015, the first brand positioning TV campaign of the Lidl distribution brand in France was launched on French screens.
With “On est mal patron”, Novembre Creative Business Partner created the 4th favorite campaign of the French people and, first time ever, the first campaign to be distinguished for a food distributor (source Vivavoice).
We decided to focus on a launch around key pillars: choice, quality, bread, freshness with a friendly tone carried by a recurring character. The first wave generated more than 901 million TV contacts (source: SNPTV March 2015).
Over time, the “On est mal patron” campaign has become a real advertising landmark for the brand and we’ve produced over 20 TV commercials and social films. The themes of sectors: meat, fish, fruits & vegetables and CSR commitments could also be treated by this concept as well as the launch of the online offer lidl-voyages.fr
The book « Brand Sucess, 50 outstanding marketing and communication successes », distinguishes the campaign «Lidl, on est mal patron» by explaining:
«Lidl operates a clever campaign. The system is clever because it builds a new perception of the brand through the speech and the look of the other, the competitor, and thus bringing a higher credibility. The modernity of the approach is remarkable for the multiplicity of channels of communication and action as well as for the diversity of topics and angles of attack used to give more positive vitality to the proposed transformation.”
Not only does the concept nourish the brand’s core but it is, by its rhetorical mechanics, suitable for the inclusion of promotional messages, especially on radio. With nearly 1000 spots of different products, the agency knows how to manage the production and the actors to broadcast in 30 seconds, a message of price, with humor, branding and legal mentions while working in a tight flow on fluctuating market prices especially on fruits and vegetables.
A cross-channel advertising plan
Novembre Creative Business Partner claims a business-oriented communication. It is therefore natural for us to participate in the conceptualization and production of media at the pace of annual offerings.
Thus, major events such as the back to school, the wine fair, the garden, DIY etc. are subjects treated via special catalogues with quality and available in digital form.
We also created and produce the weekly video catalogue, which is powerfully distributed.
Lidl Wine Fair: the reference.
The agency accompanied the launch and still manages the communication of the Lidl Wine Fair which has become one of the most popular Wine Fair.
The professional newspaper «Rayon Boissons» has distinguished many times the communication and the content of the leaflets, catalogues and materials we have developed. “A model of its kind”, “inspiration” are the words used to describe it.
Lidl Le Mag: a support of positioning and retention
The agency also designed and launched the magazine : «Lidl Le Mag».
A genuine 80-pages content magazine with between 3 and 12 millions copies and providing recipes, tips and stories. A quality production entirely ensured by the agency which holds the editorial line, produces the recipes and the photographs.
Although the magazine is published twice a year and has a total of 10 editions to date, it is also an excellent event channel with 3 special series, produced especially at the International Agricultural Show in Paris.
It is a success because 72% of readers consider the medium as a magazine and not a prospectus, 66% keep it, 1.9 readers per household and 48% talk about it to their entourage.
100% of readers find that Lidl Le Mag gives a good image of the brand and 56% say they want to go there more often after reading the magazine (source: Etude Cospirit Mediatrack).
L&VOUS (L and you) and Lidl Her: efficient internal HR communication
Novembre Creative Business Partner shares all the challenges of its advertisers and offers solutions.
When it comes to transformation and positioning issues, the challenge is also internal. The advertising character «On est mal patron» intervenes at conventions and meetings with employees and is appreciated (many selfies).
What is important in internal communication is also a clear and accessible editorial line. By building these tools together, we can guarantee quality support and relevance. Distributed to the brand’s 40,000 employees, the internal magazine is a useful, appreciated and expected support.
Lidl Her is the support to promote the new in-house women’s leadership program, starting in March 2021.
It is dedicated to supporting women in accessing senior management positions.
With a 94/100 point gender equality index, Lidl ranks among the top-rated companies in France. Each employee, whether male or female, has the same opportunities for personal and professional development.
According to Choose my Company, Lidl ranks among the 40 companies where life is good. This ranking is based on solicited and spontaneous opinions. 56% of women managers at Lidl.