Volkswagen tackle perceptions around cost of ownership in new online campaign
Volkswagen Group Australia has teamed up with DDB Sydney to launch a new online aftersales campaign which attempts to tackle the perception that owning the brand of car can be expensive.
The campaign features a Volkswagen representative testing what people will believe, asking such questions as ‘Do you know the cost of Volkswagen service will be more if you have blonde hair?’ and ‘did you know the cost of servicing a Volkswagen triples if the car is red?’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk6G4stRCyE
DDB Group Sydney executive creative director Dylan Harrison said in a statement: “The idea for this campaign was in the problem. Without knowing the facts, people believe Volkswagens are expensive to run and maintain. We wondered what else are people prepared to believe and wanted to deliver it with the trademark Volkswagen understated humour.”
The online campaign is supported with targeted banner placements and support material rolled out across the dealership network.
Volkswagen Group Australia parts sales and marketing manager David Brown said in a statement: “We are confident this campaign will help change people’s perceptions around the high costs associated with owning a Volkswagen. DDB helped us translate this objective into an impactful online campaign.”
The campaign runs until the end of March.
DDB Sydney also worked on last year’s Volkswagen Family campaign and the ‘I did it my way’ campaign for the Volkswagen GTI.
Credits:
Agency: DDB Sydney
- Executive Creative Director: Dylan Harrison
- Creative Group Heads: Steve Hall/Dan Seager
- Art Director/Copy Writer: Richard Grey/Jeff Galbraith
- Designer: Domenic Bartolo
- Head of Broadcast Production: Brenden Johnson
- TV Producer: Gabriella Singh
- Art Buyer: Leesa Murray
- Managing Partner: Nicole Taylor
- Account Director: Stuart Baillie
- Account Manager: Harry Mountier
- Planner: Russ Mitchinson
- DoP: Kurt McCann
- Editor: Matt Eastwood
Media agency: Mediacom
Volkswagen Group Australia:
- David Brown – Parts Sales & Marketing Manager
- Sebastien Bureau – Product Manager Parts
yawn
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But, hang on a sec, what about those of us who have a VW and know, from first hand experience, that they ARE expensive to run? It’s very false advertising. My VW is the newest car I’ve ever owned, but easily the most expensive to service and maintain. The electrics in their cars seem incredibly unreliable in my experience.
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@Ted – The ad says it has a long Capped Price Service period, not that’s low priced. Any low prices are inferred because they are ‘capped’.
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This is an ad that’s been engineered and designed to be humerous by a German automobile manufacturer.
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I’m surprised they didn’t consider safety concerns following the recent PR disaster in Australia more pressing than perceptions of cost.
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It’s brand power for car parts. Worth PRing that.
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…just to think of it, there aren’t too many German comedians
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it amazes me how dumb australians are
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…. the blonde was good… then it was all downhill from there.
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Charge the earth for spare parts. Don’t recall cars for rectification which have all been recalled in the US. Witness the PR disaster. Then go to an ad agency to persuade consumers how cheap servicing is. Great thinking VW. It makes great performing cars but doesn’t make reliable vehicles which are cheap to service and have longevity. The Japanese and Koreans do. The agency has been given a tough assignment because it isn’t just about perception but reality.
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@Harry – Have you seen how many 10-15 year old Golfs there are still on the roads? Seem pretty reliable to me.
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@Ted, I agree. I love my VW terribly, but the cost of maintaining that car is ludicrous. Capped Price Servicing sounds lovely until they tell you the cost of your major service is almost $1,000 big ones.
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