Ahead of this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, we've decided to share our admiration for brands that celebrate their charisma through design. Whether it’s capturing the attention of consumers or the eyes of judges, Charisma by Design is the magnetism that attracts. It enables a brand to connect with people by communicating its unique story in a compelling and engaging way, across every touch point.
First up, it’s LIDL’s pop-up restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden.
Stimulated by sensationalism, social media trends and a generational force, the human attention span is now shorter than that of a goldfish, shaping a wiser and more critical consumer profile. So how can brands take their time to talk about quality in this message-saturated world?
LIDL had the perfect recipe for this (pun intended): take a low-key basement space, add a British two starred Michelin Chef and his talented team, and mix in an all-LIDL selection of ingredients to create a fine-dining experience on par with the best eateries in the Swedish capital.
By shifting the focus to the actual food itself (rather than the brand), LIDL was able to connect with the individual, enabling people to fully immerse themselves in a complete sensorial experience untouched by preconceptions. The consumer has been paramount and centrepiece to the entire experience, from building anticipation in the run-up to the grand opening, to the imaginative decor intended to delight. Nothing too sophisticated, yet all beautifully presented and considered to the last detail – all elements that hinted to what’s truthful about the LIDL brand.
It takes courage and vision to change direction when everyone else is busy engaging in price wars, and that is what makes LIDL charismatic, a marker for change in its category. It comes to show that there is ingenuity and vitality in its DNA, and hopefully many other stories to unfold. As for this one, the DILL experience (and what a delightfully clever anagram) is a ‘blind test’ exercise of brand quality, done with Michelin star finesse.
There’s certainly more to this value brand than meets the eye, especially if it can persuade you to focus on it more than a goldfish would…
Images: INGO Stockholm
DILL – The Restaurant (Cannes Lions Bronze, 2015)
By Alina Pirvu, Creative Planner, jkr London.
DILL – The Restaurant (Cannes Lions Bronze, 2015) Agency: INGO
