Lidl Opens a Pop-Up Travel Agency for a Croissant
TL;DR: Lidl Germany has opened a pop-up travel agency in Berlin and handed out 600 croissant-shaped neck pillows ('NeckCroissants'), the latest instalment in a running, influencer-led brand saga built around its viral croissant with agency Jung von Matt and creator Riton.
Most brands would have milked a viral product once and moved on. Lidl Germany has turned its hit croissant into an ongoing comedy serial — and the audience keeps coming back for the next episode.
The latest stunt: a pop-up travel agency in Berlin and a giveaway of 600 croissant-shaped neck pillows, fronted by influencer Riton in his self-appointed role as Lidl's 'Head of Croissant', with agency Jung von Matt.
Turning a product into a saga
Lidl's croissant started as a product hype and has become a long-running brand narrative, with each new activation building on the last. That continuity is what turns a one-off viral moment into durable brand fame.
Using a creator as a recurring character — the 'Head of Croissant' — gives the story a face and a voice that audiences follow, blending influencer reach with Lidl's own brand platform.
Why serialised marketing works
A single viral hit fades fast. A serialised campaign, where each stunt references and extends the story, compounds attention over time and trains the audience to anticipate the next move.
The neck-pillow giveaway is cheap, shareable and on-theme. It keeps the joke alive and generates fresh social content without the cost of a major new campaign — the brand gets reach for the price of a stunt.
The takeaway for brands
When something you do catches fire, resist the urge to move straight on. Ask how you can extend it into a series, a running joke or a recurring character that keeps the audience engaged.
Consistency over time beats novelty. The brands that build a recognisable, ongoing story get remembered; the ones that chase a new idea every week get forgotten.
Quick FAQ
What is Lidl's 'NeckCroissant' stunt?
A pop-up travel agency in Berlin and a giveaway of 600 croissant-shaped neck pillows, the latest activation in Lidl Germany's running, influencer-led campaign around its viral croissant.
Why does the serialised approach work?
Extending a viral hit into an ongoing story compounds attention over time, trains audiences to anticipate the next instalment, and builds durable brand fame cheaply.
Most brands squeeze a viral moment once and move on. Lidl turned a croissant into a serial with its own recurring character - and that's the genius. A running story compounds attention; a one-off stunt is forgotten by Friday. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
A viral hit is a start, not the finish — serialise it, and attention compounds instead of fading.
When something you do takes off, do you extend it into a story — or move straight on and lose the momentum?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Horizont, W&V, MyDealz.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
