I am sure some of you may have already heard of the “The Fun Theory” campaign by Volkswagen that just recently won the Cannes 2010 Cyber Grand Prix for a digitally led integrated campaign.
For those who have not heard of the campaign, The Fun Theory was all about generating interest in Volkswagen’s Blue Motion technologies that deliver the same great car performance with reduced environmental impact, and to do this, they found an insight around how “fun” could change human behavior for the better, and this formed The Fun Theory, a campaign that spawned over 700 user generated Fun Theory initiatives along with a number of big viral hits that generated over 20 million YouTube views, with one rushing past 12 million views alone!
What makes this digitally led (without overcomplicating it)
This is one of those campaigns where the “digital” part is not a layer added at the end. It is the distribution engine. It is how the idea travels, how participation scales, and how a single insight turns into hundreds of initiatives people want to copy, remix, and share.
The strategic insight that carries the whole idea
The Fun Theory is built on a simple behavioral observation. If you make the better choice fun, more people will do it. That is the core. Everything else is execution.
- One clear behavior frame. “Fun changes behavior for the better.”
- A product story that benefits. Blue Motion technologies. Same performance, reduced impact.
- A scalable content model. Big hits create attention, then user generated initiatives extend the lifespan.
What to take from this if you are building integrated work
- Lead with a human mechanism, not a message. People share mechanisms they can repeat.
- Let distribution be part of the design. If it does not travel, it does not scale.
- Create a format others can copy. The strongest campaigns spawn “versions.”
- Keep the brand role credible. The idea must connect back to a real product promise.
A few fast answers before you act
What is Volkswagen’s “The Fun Theory” in one sentence?
It is a digitally led integrated campaign built on the idea that making the better choice fun can change human behavior for the better, while building interest in Volkswagen’s Blue Motion technologies.
Why did this campaign matter beyond a single viral video?
Because it scaled into participation. It spawned hundreds of user generated initiatives, not just one-off attention.
What is the link to Blue Motion technologies?
The campaign positioned Blue Motion as delivering the same great car performance with reduced environmental impact, then used “fun” as the behavioral hook to earn attention and sharing.
What is the transferable lesson for digital and brand leaders?
If you can pair a simple behavioral mechanism with a credible product story, digital channels can turn one idea into a repeatable format that communities propagate for you.
How do you know when a “digitally led” idea is strong enough?
If people can describe it quickly, repeat it without you, and share it with minimal friction, it is built to scale.
