Lidl Finland is welcoming summer barbecue season with a delightfully absurd new campaign that turns grills into marching followers of a modern-day Pied Piper.
Created by Nord Helsinki and directed by Pete Riski, the film blends cinematic scale with playful comedy as grills across Finland emerge from winter storage and begin rolling through neighborhoods toward Lidl.
Leading the charge is celebrity chef and television personality Henri Alén, who takes on the role of the “Barbecue Piper,” summoning the country into grilling season through music and sheer barbecue energy.
The story begins with a small yellow grill watching enviously from a neighboring yard before joining what gradually becomes a massive nationwide procession of grills headed toward Lidl stores. What makes the spot work is its commitment to treating the ridiculous premise with complete cinematic sincerity. Watch below:
“It’s a simple but extremely strong concept,” said Riski. “The humor comes from how the story keeps growing, from the perspective of a classic underdog into something unexpectedly epic.”
Produced by Directors Guild Helsinki, the campaign combines practical effects with AI-assisted CGI and hybrid visual techniques to bring the increasingly elaborate grill parade to life.
But according to executive producer Seppo Kerkelä, the technology always remained secondary to the storytelling. “For us, it’s never about the tools themselves or getting carried away with technology,” Kerkelä said. “Everything comes down to storytelling and what best brings the idea to life.”
The campaign also marks one of the first collaborations between Lidl Finland and Nord Helsinki. “There’s a shared ambition to make work that is both entertaining and distinctive,” said creative director Kalle Wallin.
Lidl Finland has long embraced humor-driven advertising, particularly around its Grillmaster line and seasonal summer campaigns. This latest work continues that tradition while elevating the production scale into something that feels part fantasy epic, part deadpan comedy.
And honestly, there’s something strangely beautiful about a country emotionally rallying behind wandering grills after surviving a Finnish winter.
CREDITS:
BRAND: Lidl Finland
- Jonna Musa, Head of Marketing
- Johanna Granqvist, Senior Marketing Campaign Manager
- Jenni Sivunen, Head of Campaign & Event Marketing
- Hanna Halmela, Head of Strategy and Engagement
AGENCY: Nord Helsinki
- Kalle Wallin, Creative Director
- Lauri Ferrer, Client Lead
- Jonathan Mander, Strategist
- Karoliina Kauhanen, Project Director
- Elisa Konttinen, Senior Art Director
- Tero Ahonen, Creative, Copywriter
- Jukka Hannula, Graphic Designer
PRODUCTION COMPANY:
- Directors Guild Helsinki
- Executive Producer: Seppo Kerkelä
- Director: Pete Riski
- Producer: Kasperi Määttä
- Cinematographer: Johan Wasicki
EDIT: James Post
Editor: Mikko Löppönen
SOUND DESIGN: Humina
Sound design: Tuomas Seppänen
MUSIC: Humina
Composer: Juri Seppä
AI & VFX: 255 Pix
VFX: James Post, Energia VFX
COLOR: Pullapost
Colorist: Henri Pulla
ONLINE: James Post
REELated:
