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.
