The Quiet Upgrade

Lidl lets surprise do the selling—while Google automates spend, Meta accelerates creator ads, and Nike goes member-first.

Author

Javier García
December 28, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

In partnership with

Introduction

Welcome to another exciting week!

Table of Contents

Sponsored Section

Shoppers are adding to cart for the holidays

Over the next year, Roku predicts that 100% of the streaming audience will see ads. For growth marketers in 2026, CTV will remain an important “safe space” as AI creates widespread disruption in the search and social channels. Plus, easier access to self-serve CTV ad buying tools and targeting options will lead to a surge in locally-targeted streaming campaigns.

Read our guide to find out why growth marketers should make sure CTV is part of their 2026 media mix.

Best Ad of the Week

Lidl – “The Quiet Upgrade” (2025 European Campaign)

Lidl’s “The Quiet Upgrade” takes aim at a common but rarely admitted behaviour: quietly trading up without telling anyone. The ad shows everyday moments where expectations are low. A dinner guest bracing for a “cheap wine” taste. A parent assuming the kids’ snacks will be basic. A friend making a joke about supermarket chocolate. Then comes the pause. A sip. A bite. A look. No dialogue, just subtle surprise. The Lidl logo appears at the end with one line: “You don’t need to announce quality.”

Key marketing lessons
• Let discovery do the talking: Lidl avoids comparison charts and price claims, trusting the moment of surprise to carry the message.
• Flip a stigma without confrontation: Instead of defending “cheap,” the brand reframes it as smart and quietly confident.
• Silence amplifies credibility: Reactions replace explanations, making the quality feel earned rather than advertised.
• Behaviour over belief: The campaign focuses on what people actually experience, not what they think before trying.
• Understatement as positioning: By staying calm and restrained, Lidl signals maturity and self-assurance in a crowded price-led category.

A reminder that when your product delivers, the smartest move is to let people find out for themselves.

Sponsored Section

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Weekly Tip

Clarity Comes From Subtraction

Improving content is often about removing, not adding.

• Cut extra adjectives that don’t change meaning
• Delete sentences that repeat the same idea
• Keep only what helps the message move forward

When you subtract aggressively, what remains becomes sharper, clearer, and easier to remember.

Weekly Challenge

Content Scarcity Test

This week, post less but make each post count more:

• Publish only two posts instead of your usual frequency
• Spend extra time sharpening the hook and takeaway for each
• Add a clear CTA focused on one action only
• Compare engagement per post with a normal week

Reducing volume often increases focus, clarity, and impact.

Submissions + Feedback

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