A Fortune 500 retailer wanted TikTok presence but couldn't open an official account due to corporate red tape. Here's how we delivered massive brand awareness anyway.
Lidl Serbia's social media team recognized TikTok's explosive growth early. They understood that being first on emerging platforms creates massive brand awareness opportunities.
But there was a problem: they couldn't open an official TikTok account. Corporate headquarters required lengthy approval processes that would take months—maybe years.
Meanwhile, competitors were gaining ground. The window of opportunity was closing. They needed a way to build TikTok presence without waiting for corporate approval.
Corporate approval process would take 12-18 months. They needed results now.
Instead of waiting for corporate approval, we activated our creator network to mention Lidl naturally in their content. No official account needed. No #ad disclosures killing engagement. Just authentic recommendations from real people.
We hand-picked 138 creators whose audiences matched Lidl's target demographic: budget-conscious shoppers, families, food enthusiasts, and deal hunters.
Creators featured Lidl products in their everyday content—grocery hauls, recipe videos, budget tips. No scripts. No forced mentions. Just natural brand placement.
Rather than one viral moment, we maintained consistent brand visibility across 12 months with 198 videos, building cumulative awareness.
12 months of sustained organic growth
Onboarded initial wave of 40 creators across food, lifestyle, and family niches. Focused on establishing authentic brand mentions and testing content formats.
Doubled creator roster based on performance data. Identified top-performing content formats (grocery hauls, "Lidl finds" videos) and doubled down on what worked.
Refined creator mix for maximum efficiency. Several videos went viral organically, generating millions of views each. Brand mentions became part of TikTok culture.
Lidl became the most-mentioned grocery brand on Serbian TikTok—without an official account. Organic search volume for "Lidl" increased significantly.
Natural brand integration across multiple content formats
"What I got at Lidl" videos showing real shopping trips
Cooking videos featuring Lidl ingredients
Money-saving content highlighting Lidl deals
Surprise products and hidden gems
151 million impressions delivered through authentic creator content.
Zero paid advertising. Zero forced sponsorship disclosures.
Just real people recommending products they actually use.
What 12 months of Organic Media Buying delivered
Pure organic reach without ad spend
Carefully selected brand advocates
Consistent content over 12 months
All targets met as guaranteed
Same budget, dramatically different results
When content feels like a recommendation from a friend rather than an advertisement, engagement goes through the roof. That's exactly what we achieved for Lidl—151 million views from people who actually wanted to watch.
What this campaign proves about Organic Media Buying
Brand presence can be built entirely through creator content. Corporate approval processes don't have to slow you down.
At the same CPM, organic views generate higher engagement, better recall, and longer content lifespan than paid ads.
198 videos over 12 months built sustained awareness. Don't chase viral moments—build cumulative presence.
138 carefully chosen creators outperform thousands of random influencers. Quality and audience fit matter more than follower count.
We've delivered over 1 billion organic views for 70+ clients. Let's build your campaign plan with real numbers for your budget.
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