Lidl’s Portugal‘s pet rebrand is the best launch I’ve seen this year, because it started with a social cause.

A 1€ shopping bag just raised 270.000€ for animals in Portugal, a country where animal abandonment is very high.

Lidl Portugal’s “Pa-tudo” bag (which means “a bag for everything” and “for the ones with paws”) gives 0’50€ of every sale to animal protection. Last weekend, 54 associations received 5000€ each, reaching more than 12.300 animals.

It’s a very generous move but it’s also a very strategic one.

But why Lidl and why now?

→ Rebranding attention
Max & Mila’s World is replacing right now Lidl’s old pet brands across Europe. Half of European households have a pet, but few Lidl customers were buying pet food there.

→ Trust comes before the sale
The bag ran all summer and the results were handed over at the brand launch. By the time the food hits the shelf, Lidl is already known for helping shelters. So smart.

→ The cause is very real
Portugal has almost 1 million stray animals, with around 115 abandoned every day.

→ Easy to join, easy to see
A 1€ bag is the simplest donation there is, and every bag is a walking billboard.

But why brands run social campaigns and your pet brand should too?

→ Trust. Actions are more believable than ads.
→ Differentiation. A cause sets you apart in categories where products look alike.
→ Earned media. Press coverage that money can’t buy.
→ Participation & loyalty. Customers who contribute feel part of the result.
→ Employees. Staff are prouder of a company that does good.
→ Reporting. Measurable impact gives large companies numbers to show.

The cause and the product fit almost perfectly. 70% of the shelters said they urgently need food, and Lidl has just launched a pet food brand. The campaign helps solve a real problem in its own category, and that builds credibility no ad could buy.

Empathy works as a strategy when the cause is real and the business behind it stays consistent. I’d love to see Lidl bringing this idea to other markets where abandonment is just as painful, like Spain, Greece, Italy, Romania, Serbia, etc.

Now it’s your turn: which other brand is doing this well right now? 🧡

LinkedIn original post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/angels-bosch