Permanent Collection

Follow the Barbecue Piper: 255 Pix Studio Brings the Heat for Lidl Finland

Posted on Monday, May 11, 2026

Finnish post house 255 Pix makes their Stash debut in spectacular fashion with this rampaging horde of BBQs conjured from 3D VFX and AI for the discount supermarket Lidl and directed by Pete Riski at Directors Guild Helsinki.

Pete Riski: “It’s a simple but extremely strong concept, The humor comes from how the story keeps growing, from the perspective of a classic underdog into something unexpectedly epic.”

Seppo Kerkelä, EP at Directors Guild Helsinki: “For us, it’s never about the tools themselves or getting carried away with technology. Everything comes down to storytelling and what best brings the idea to life.”

Images

A person walks down a tree-lined street with several barbecues and grills on each side. Cozy houses with gardens line the road, where sunlight filters through the trees, creating a peaceful suburban scene reminiscent of a Lidl Finland commercial directed by Pete Riski. Frame from Stash Magazine article.

A busy city street is filled with parked cars and dozens of smoking Barbecue Piper grills, taking up the roadway where cars would normally be driving. People are seen walking on the sidewalks in the background. Frame from Stash Magazine article.

Aerial view of a busy urban intersection with multiple overpasses and roads densely filled with bicycles, not cars. Surrounding buildings and greenery are visible in the background, capturing the vibrancy Pete Riski brings to campaigns like Lidl Finland’s. Frame from Stash Magazine article.

A yellow round charcoal grill with a thermometer and vent holes on top, resembling a face with two eyes and a rectangular mouth-like handle, is shown outdoors—perfect for channeling your inner Barbecue Piper at any Lidl Finland backyard cookout. Frame from Stash Magazine article.

Crowd in helmets rush toward the entrance of a large Lidl Finland supermarket, pushing carts as smoke rises, evoking a scene from Pete Riski’s Barbecue Piper. Large glass windows and the iconic Lidl logo loom above the doors. Frame from Stash Magazine article.

Credits

Client: Lidl Finland

Agency: Nord Helsinki
CD: Kalle Wallin,
Project Director: Karoliina Kauhanen
Senior Art Director: Elisa Konttinen,
Copywriter: Tero Ahonen
Graphic Designer: Jukka Hannula,

Production: Directors Guild Helsinki
Director: Pete Riski
EP: Seppo Kerkelä
Producer: Kasperi Määttä
Cinematographer: Johan Wasicki

VFX/AI: 255 Pix Studio
VFX: James Post, Energia VFX

Edit/Finish: James Post
Editor: Mikko Löppönen

Audio: Humina
Music: Juri Seppä
Sound designer: Tuomas Seppänen

Grade: Pullapost
Colorist: Henri Pulla

Stephen Price

Stephen is the co-founder/CD of Stash Media Inc. and the executive editor of Stash Magazine and the Stash Permanent Collection.
Follow on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram

Category: Advertising, Featured, VFX · Tags: 255 Pix Studio, Directors Guild Helsinki, Humina, James Post, Lidl, Nord Helsinki, Pete Riski