The first pre-launch of a car using Twitter

Twitter is only just taking off in Argentina, and Wunderman Buenos Aires managed to convince Ford to run the pre-launch on Twitter, with great success.

The idea was to give the most followed twitterer in Argentina the one and only new Ford Fiesta available in the country, with the condition that he drive it for 5 straight days, tweeting about his experience. That alone is not new, but the twist was smart. Some of the most famous TV stars jumped in the car and tweeted mini interviews while being driven around in the new Fiesta.

After just 5 days, the campaign had reached over 200,000 people. That is 50% of all Twitter users in Argentina.

Why this pre-launch mechanic works

It turns product access into a live narrative. One car. One highly followed driver. A fixed time window. That constraint creates focus and makes the story easy to follow in real time.

The celebrity ride-alongs add a second layer. They keep the feed fresh, they pull in adjacent audiences, and they make the tweets feel like “content” rather than a running spec sheet.

What to borrow for your next social launch

  • Give someone real access. Scarcity is a stronger signal than claims.
  • Put a clock on it. A defined window creates urgency and repeat checking.
  • Add format variety. Mini interviews change the rhythm and widen appeal.

A few fast answers before you act

What made this a “pre-launch” on Twitter?
The story unfolded through live tweets before broad availability, anchored by one high-profile driver and one car.

What was the core execution?
Argentina’s most followed twitterer drove the country’s only new Ford Fiesta for 5 straight days and tweeted the experience.

What was the twist beyond a standard influencer test drive?
TV stars joined the ride and tweeted mini interviews while being driven around.

What result is highlighted?
Over 200,000 people reached in 5 days, described as 50% of Argentina’s Twitter users.

What is the main takeaway?
Make the launch feel like an event, not an announcement. Access plus a live format beats static messaging.

Volkswagen Amarok Live Test Drive

October seems to be a month of innovative test drive campaigns. In this campaign, ad agency AlmapBBDO Brazil has created a neat interactive meets experiential campaign.

The idea was to create a virtual test drive for Volkswagen’s new Amarok that people could experience live from their home or office. So a huge outdoor test track was setup, along with an automated car that takes your virtual test drive directions over the phone while you watch it live on your computer.

The campaign had 327 live test drives, 500,000+ unique site visitors and generated 7,392 online purchase intentions during the campaign period.

Why this “virtual test drive” feels real

The smart move is that the interaction is not simulated on a screen. The driving happens in the real world, on a physical track, with a real vehicle. Your input is remote, but the outcome is tangible and visible live. That combination makes the experience feel more like participation than advertising.

What makes it a strong test drive pattern

  • Real-time control. Phone directions turn passive viewing into active steering.
  • Live proof. Watching the vehicle respond on a real track builds trust fast.
  • Measurable intent. “Online purchase intentions” connects the spectacle to business outcomes.

A few fast answers before you act

What is the Volkswagen Amarok Live Test Drive?
A virtual test drive experience where people remotely guided an automated Amarok on a real outdoor track via phone instructions while watching live online.

Who created the campaign?
AlmapBBDO Brazil.

What made it different from a normal online test drive?
Instead of a digital simulation, a real vehicle drove a real track live, responding to the user’s directions.

What results were reported?
327 live test drives, 500,000+ unique site visitors, and 7,392 online purchase intentions during the campaign period.

What’s the transferable lesson?
If you can combine remote control with live, physical proof, you can turn “watching” into “doing” and generate measurable intent.