The Trailer Assist feature allows Volkswagen cars to park semi-autonomously using the rear backup camera. To promote this feature in Norway, Volkswagen created a stunt where a driver backed up his car and trailer in high speed through parking lots, roundabouts and intersections…
People love to be the first to notice problems. With this insight, Volkswagen did the unthinkable. They purposely misspelled their name on the LED screens during the France vs Brasil football match in Stade de France, Paris.
With 6 million TV viewers and 80,000 spectators it was very unlikely that something like “Wolkswagen” would go un-noticed. The live stunt worked like a charm and helped Volkswagen successfully announce themselves as the new major partner of French football.
Super Bowl Sunday is the mecca of television advertising year after year. Advertisers on this day have a golden opportunity to create valuable brand buzz and recognition through astronomically priced 30 second television spots.
After having watched over 60 ads that used both time-tested and unconventional strategies to attract attention, I have come up with my most entertaining list… 😎
Volkswagen Netherlands is set to launch the new GTI in a banner via an online race, set in the physical world.
4 popular Dutch websites have been painted as a runway of an airport, each 20 metres wide and 25 metres long. On race day i.e. today 13th September participants will be chasing the GTI as it speeds through the banner spaces of each site. The person who is fast enough to catch the new GTI wins the car in real life. 😎
And here is the making of video that shows how everything was put together…
In the last week or so I came across two campaigns that used video to innovatively deliver their message…
The Volkswagen Side Assist feature helps drivers avoid accidents by showing other vehicles when they are in the side mirror’s blind spot. So to drive home the message AlmapBBDO developed a film that used YouTube’s play bar to show the difference the VW Side Assist made in people’s lives.
Amnesty Norway in an attempt to change the Norwegian law on sexual assault and rape, developed a film that used a custom video player to pop up the key message. The campaign was a success and the law is about to change, as a direct consequence of the campaign.
The full version of the video can be experienced here.
Statistics show that 80% of the people tend to fast forward TV commercials. So Volkswagen created a very slow and static TV commercial in order to make sure that everybody sees it.
The slowmercial when fast-forwarded on the TV recorder gave viewers the experience of a print ad. Simply clever. 🙂
Everyday millions of people are searching for products and brands on Google. So in this latest example of search optimisation, SEA Team from UK created a search engine advertising campaign for Volkswagen which positioned the car in a unique ‘organic ad’ created by optimising the first five individual URL’s of a Google Image Search.
The campaign does feel realistic but when I searched for ‘ultimate business car’, I got only images from people posting about the campaign.
With the Volkswagen Smileage app, road trips are never going to be the same again. Powered by Google the app is set to socalise road trips world over.
To start earning Smileage you have to pair the app with your car and sign in with your Google account. Once synced, the app automatically connects each time you go for a ride. Friends can then watch and comment on your journey in real time while you earn Smileage through shared photos, kilometers, checkins, comments, likes and punches from other nearby Volkswagen’s. 😎
To celebrate Rock in Rio, the biggest rock festival in Brazil. Volkswagen created a special edition of one of its best sold cars through a unique webcam controlled banner ad. 😎
Volkswagen last year launched ‘The Polo Principle’ ad campaign to convey the message that high-end innovations were now available to Polo drivers.
Then to democratize the innovation process they allowed people to actually design their very own 3D Volkswagen mock ups. The top 40 designs were chosen by a panel of judges and then put on display in Copenhagen with the entrants receiving their (mini) 3D printed Volkswagen’s in the mail. 😎
For more examples on brands using 3D printing click here.
