Safe for work website
Issue 20 | September 2011
Agency
Grabarz und Partner
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director: Ralf Heuel; Creative Director: Timm Weber, Goesta Diehl, Oliver Heidorn; Art Director: Andreas Miller; Copywriter: Christian Soldatke
Production Team
Flash Development: Sebastian Fiedler, Veronika Ziegler; Agency Producer: Alexa-Sophia Schaefer; Graphic Artist: Matthias Rauber
Other Credits
Account Supervisors: Reinhard Patzschke, Peter Stroeh, Katja Fredriksen; Advertiser’s Supervisors: Luca de Meo, Giovanni Perosino, Achim Glogowski
Date
2011
Background
Side Assist is an assistance system from Volkswagen that warns the driver if a vehicle is approaching from behind.
The brief was to develop an idea that explains what Side Assist does in an easy and understandable way.
Idea
An online was designed which could be integrated into favourite web sites. It allowed people to experience the warning system for themselves at their work stations.
When an employee is surfing the net at work and doesn’t want to get caught by his boss, “Side Assist Office” uses his webcam to scan the area behind his back. If somebody suddenly shows up behind him, a business chart appears on-screen that makes the worker look busy.
With this idea, Volkswagen is not only looking after its drivers on the road but in the office as well.
Results
None available.
Our Thoughts
I’m assuming this idea begins as a banner which then allows people to download the app that creates the VW-branded ‘watch-out’ panel.
The banner rapidly became a much-unloved advertising space and is often reviled as being next to useless in terms of response generated.
But, of course, any space or platform is going to give up rubbish results if the idea within it is second-hand or second-rate. This is neither. It shows there’s plenty of vitality in the banner provided the creative team have the talent and the desire to do something new with it.