Volkswagen Instant Off-Road Kit
Volkswagen Middle East
Issue 35 | June 2015
Agency
Soho Square UAE
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director Ramzi Moutran Creative Director Sascha Kuntze Associate Creative Director Logan Allanson Art Director Irfan Ghani Art Director Jesse Bray Copywriter Gavin Stradi
Production Team
Production Managers Kavi Bhandary Sukesh Babu
Other Credits
Illustrator Jagath Nanayakkara Account Director Atul Shenoy Account Management Mani DuPlessis Joaquin Lajud Studio Manager John Ridgway Finaliser Jaison George Marketing Director Volkswagen Middle East Michael Koehler Brand Communications Manager - Volkswagen Middle East Anja Petrovski
Date
July 2014
Background
The new 2015 Volkswagen Touareg had not undergone many cosmetic changes. It was still, however, a seriously luxurious SUV with serious off-road capabilities. The task was to get journalists excited about the vehicle in order to help drive future sales.
Idea
Based on the insight that off-road vehicle owners seldom go off-roading, the Instant Off-Kit was created, which took recipients to the Serengeti and back in less than five minutes. With numerous helpful props, it allowed them to disguise the comfortable Touareg to look as if they had been roughing it in the wild. Other elements of the kit helped drivers tell a good story about their adventures.
Results
The kit sparked a lot of conversation and positive responses. Given to journalists at the launch event it cost a total of $1800. Overall, it generated $104,121 in off-line media with 28 pages including cover mentions. The kit is now also being featured on numerous websites, creating further awareness of the car and of the brand.
Our Thoughts
Poor old direct mail! You can have a sophisticated idea like this, which in digital media or even TV and press, would command interest, shares and likes, but when it’s folded into an envelope conjures no industry excitement at all – even if the people it was intended for opened it read, it, loved it and wrote about it.
This is such a knowing idea. It says, ‘We know that you know that we know you don’t actually go further than the supermarket in this fabulous 4X4. But the difference is, you actually could. And most other people couldn’t.’
It’s a big idea, just folded small.