Lidl International’s Post

Behind the scenes: How Elke and Marc turn passion into profession with Lidl-Trek Elke and Marc, Consultants in Sport Partnerships at Lidl International, collaborate closely on the Lidl-Trek partnerships, including major events like the Tour de France. 🇫🇷🚴♂️ Elke, a former cyclist for the German national team and participant in the women's Tour de France, partners with Marc, a passionate hobby cyclist with a background in Sports Management. Elke leads activation topics such as the Tour de France, while Marc focuses on project management and strategic planning. "I believe we truly complement each other. Including Elke and me, our team has seven people dedicated to Lidl-Trek topics. What unites us is that we've turned our passion into our profession," Marc says. Elke emphasizes their role in maximizing the benefits of the Lidl-Trek partnership and promoting Lidl values such as healthy nutrition and regular exercise. "We are the contact person and supporter of the Lidl-Trek cycling team. We want to advance the team in sports and support it with 'Lidl Power'," she explains. 💪 The team also collaborates closely with colleagues from various Lidl countries. The campaign team creates a toolkit for all countries so that regional colleagues can tailor the communication focus based on their regional interests. "For example, Belgium, a big cycling nation, takes more responsibility as they have been communicating about cycling for a while," Elke adds. 🚲 Reflecting on their experiences with the Lidl-Trek projects, Marc says, "In the end, it matters that I'm very enthusiastic about my job and truly believe in what we are doing. Promoting cycling and a healthy diet as a food retailer is a perfect and important topic that I wholeheartedly support." Elke adds, "It's especially nice when we cycle together as a team. What we talk about all the time, we also carry out ourselves and live it. It's something we do together. I always say we give the team a great setting to experience the sport on a completely different level." How do you integrate your passions into your professional life? Share it with us! #LidlInternational #teamlidl #WeAreLidl #LidlTrek #TourdeFrance

Stage six of the Vuelta a Espana (the Tour of Spain, one of Cycling's three Grand Tour events) began 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩 with the cyclists actually riding down aisles lined with groceries and even up an escalator before exiting onto the roads to officially get the stage underway. If the goal of sports marketing is to create memorable and authentic activations between a sports property and its sponsor brand, this one wins the prize. While It's not realistic to lift this as a best practice directly (I don't foresee LeBron James dribbling through the produce department any time soon), there are three great lessons here to apply to any marketing partnership. 𝟭. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. With the landscape of sports and advertising becoming increasingly crowded, it's more important than ever to develop creative, fresh, share-worthy content to maximize the value of your investment. Don't be content doing what's always been done before. 𝟮. 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆. Find a way to showcase your brand in the context of the event. Marketing doesn't feel like advertising when it's additive to the fan experience, it's all part of the story of the event. Give fans a story to tell. 𝟯. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲. Both Carrefour and #LaVuelta gained exposure far beyond what they would receive on any typical stage of the race by fully committing to celebrate their partnership and taking a bold chance to do something different. #SportsBusiness #SportsPartnership #FanExperience #Storytelling

𝗘𝘁𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲 𝟵 - 𝗘𝗖𝗖𝗠 𝟮𝟰 🚴♂️ Hannelore Botterman from Lidl Belgium & Luxemburg shares how Lidl evolved from "brochures" and radio ads to becoming a strong partner in cycling! In 2012, Lidl started with name-dropping in the Tour de France, and by 2014, they were collaborating with Flanders Classics. In 2023, Lidl-Trek was born, and for 2024 they chose to focus on the spring season. Lidl distinguishes itself through its international sponsorship strategy, while competitors Aldi and Colruyt are not active in sports! 🌍 🚴♀️ Griet Langedock is committed to women's cycling, having started in the men's peloton with her favorite Gent-Wevelgem. Gent-Wevelgem boosts the Flemish economy and finally brought a women's race live on TV in 2018!  The budget for women's cycling increased from €15M in 2021 to €57M in 2024, with the number of female riders growing from 117 to 232.  In 2024, we saw increased attention for women's sports. As a result, women's sports now make up half of the broadcast time in certain programs, a fantastic step forward! 🙌 🚴♂️ Wannes Cuypers from AG Insurance explains how they brought structure to sports sponsorship using data. AG sets itself apart by owning a Belgian World Tour women's team with a unique training structure.  Partnerships such as AG Insurance Soudal Quick-Step and participation in mass events ensure maximum exposure.  Cycling ranks in the top 3 in sports interest, offers massive TV publicity, and appeals to all target audiences! 📺 #ExpertClassCyclingManagement #ExpertClass #Cycling #Lidl #CyclingVlaanderen #AGInsurance Sportcareers

How do you achieve an on-brand, engaging activity for 400 delegates? 👉 You infuse the client's passion for cycling into a thrilling build-a-bike challenge at their sales kick-off. Results? 40+ bikes were delivered to a local school, leaving our delegates with a huge sense of accomplishment. Curious? Read the full case study ⤵ #casestudy #CSR #teambuilding #successstory #businessgrowth #employeeengament #eventmanagement

ACTIVE is a dynamic partnership between organizations united by one goal: building capacity for active mobility. As partners, we celebrate and share each other’s successes, and today, we’re proud to shine the spotlight on Union Cycliste Internationale! Earlier this month, we had the opportunity to speak with Isabella Burczak and Valentin Hasler from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) about their latest achievements. Isabella Shared that UCI has both the privilege and responsibility of promoting cycling – not just as a sport but as a sustainable mode of transport and healthy recreational activity. The UCI’s Cycling for All Programme is built around those same ideas and based on four key pillars: advocacy, inspiration, education, and partnerships. As part of its education pillar, UCI recently developed the UCI Bike City Pathway, a comprehensive guide designed to help cities create more bike-friendly environments based on the criteria established to achieve the UCI Bike City Label. With practical case studies and expert references, this guide empowers cities with the tools to encourage cycling and build greener, healthier communities. Additionally, the Pathway provides valuable guidance for cities that don’t yet meet the criteria for the UCI Bike City Label, offering support on securing funding and outlining a roadmap with 10 key steps cities can take to create bike-friendly environments. “We’re always curious to learn from our partner organizations about their experiences with the ACTIVE partnership.” Isabella noted. She acknowledged that while UCI may not offer capacity building in the same way as some other partners, they actively seek other avenues to contribute to the partnership’s goals. For instance, the UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum, the UCI’s annual conference dedicated to cycling for all, provides a great platform to share the message of ACTIVE and advocate for active mobility. This year’s UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum will be held in Abu Dhabi, on 18-19 December, marking the first time the forum will take place outside Europe. Alongside the event, attendees will have the unique opportunity to experience the UCI Urban Cycling World Championship, and understand the impact of international sporting events. We’re thrilled to collaborate with UCI as they continue their mission to promote active mobility! #ActiveMobility #UCIBikeCity #SustainableTransport #CyclingForAll #ACTIVEpartnership #GreenCities #UrbanMobility #BikeFriendlyCities

Tour de France month! I've been really into this with two season on Netflix. The Tour de France is undeniably one of the toughest sporting events globally, spanning three crazy weeks covering a staggering 3,500km, with challenging mountain stages. This year, Jumbo Visma made headlines by rebranding to “Visma Lease a bike.” Intrigued by this change, I decided to explore what Lease a bike has to offer. Owned by PON Holding, a major player in the global cycling industry and a top five bike manufacturer, they also distribute renowned brands like Cervélo and Cannondale, alongside luxury automobiles. So, what sets Lease a bike apart? Unlike typical bike-sharing services, Lease a bike focuses primarily on leasing and renting bikes to corporations, who then provide them to employees. Individuals can also lease bikes through their intuitive website, which features various bike types and transparent pricing. Why does this model thrive overseas, especially in the Netherlands? The country boasts the highest bicycle mode share globally, with 26% of daily commutes made by bike. This deep-rooted cycling culture has not only created a nation of passionate cyclists but has also produced numerous world-class athletes. Could this model succeed in Southeast Asia? Nah… its just too hot to cycle. Lease a machine with Antbuildz.com!

It's the London Marathon this weekend. Are you one of the 750,000 spectators expected to be there cheering on those brave runners? Brompton Bicycle is offering spectators, whose friends or family members are running, free Brompton Bike Hire so you can catch the action from every point of the city. What this means is that we can keep up with the marathon and follow the runners, our loved ones, across the 26.2-mile course.  Julian Scriven is the Managing Director of Brompton Bike Hire. He explains the motivation for putting the cogs in motion for this initiative: “As a London-born and bred brand, we celebrate everything that the London Marathon is about. Every year, thousands of people – both locals and visitors alike – come out to support and celebrate those taking part. What better way to enhance the supporting experience than by giving spectators a hand to see as much of the race as possible, ticking off some of our city’s best sights along the way," he says. Read how to qualify by reading the article. -- #marketing #wellness #brand Katherine, Will, Greg, Lorne, Samuel.

🚲 Throughout September, we took part in a Germany-wide biking challenge, known as “Stadtradeln”. This marked our third consecutive year of participation in this sustainable and active event. 🌱 For 21 days, our team made an effort to choose biking over other modes of transportation such as cars or public transit. This commitment to cycling not only promoted a healthier lifestyle but also had a significant positive impact on the environment. By opting to bike, we successfully avoided emitting nearly 400 kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere. Over the course of these three weeks, our team collectively cycled 262 times and covered a remarkable total distance of 2,400km. 🏆 These achievements allowed us to break several personal records from previous years: We cycled more kilometres than ever before, avoided a greater amount of CO2 emissions, and climbed higher in the rankings within the Hamburg city cycling teams. Our efforts were not only a testament to our commitment to sustainability but also showcased our ability to work together towards common goals. 💜 Thank you to everyone who joined the challenge – let’s aim to surpass our personal records once again next year and avoid even more CO2 emissions. #deepmedia #digitalmarketing #stadtradeln24 #sustainability #cyclingchallenge #ecofriendly #teamwork #corporateresponsibility

With a state election this weekend in Queensland, Bicycle Queensland's CEO Alton Twine has updated members, bike riders and scooter riders about what BQ is advocating for, and how we have been working towards our goals: 'In August and September, Bicycle Queensland met with members, people interested in cycling, communities and candidates across Queensland, advocating for a better deal for cyclists and scooter riders in the forthcoming election. We also wrote to the Minister and Shadow Minister for Transport and Main Roads to support better outcomes for riders through better policy, programs and funding. The Minister’s letter in response to our CEO cited the current government’s record of achievements in building active transport projects, but did not make any commitments to increased funding in future. The Shadow Minister acknowledged our letter. Our discussions focused on the 7 key improvements that governments can make. These are: 1. Aim for 10% of trips by active transport by 2032 and commit 10% of the transport budget to making it happen. 2. Fill in the missing links in the network. 3. Maintain what is there already 4. Improve signage for safety and wayfinding 5. Look for cycle tourism opportunities 6. Engage with users 7. Build more shared paths and bikeways' You can read more on our website.

🚴♂️ At Fleet Complete, we are excited to start the cycling season as an Official Supplier of Team Visma l Lease a Bike. This team has consistently demonstrated its capabilities on the global stage, making every pedal count in races like the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España. With the preparation for the upcoming season, Team Visma | Lease a Bike needs optimal visibility and communication among their fleet. Fleet Complete GPS devices that connect directly to a cloud-based platform help the team gain a clear and immediate overview of any vehicle’s status, including: • The vehicle’s exact location • Which staff members are in the vehicle • How much and how fast a vehicle is driving • Which race a vehicle is involved in “Our trainings and events can span up to 40.000 kilometers per year, which means increased fuel use and higher vehicle wear-and-tear. Fleet Complete’s platform will give us deeper insights that we can use for safety and economy of time and money. Having timely maintenance alerts, accurate mileage tracking, and real-time engine data is critical to keeping our vehicles in top condition, our drivers safe on the road, and our fleet fiscally responsible,” – Walter Metske, Fleetplanner. Our role as the official supplier of fleet management technology to Team Visma | Lease a Bike is more than just a sponsorship; it’s a partnership that drives forward. From pre-race preparations to real-time support during races, our technology ensures the team stays ahead, both on and off the road. As we step into this season, we're not just supporting a team but championing a legacy of excellence and innovation. Let's cheer for Team Visma | Lease a Bike as they embark on this season, ready to conquer, inspire, and achieve greatness. 🏆 #fleetmanagement #fleetcomplete #cycling