Social Advertising

   

     Volkswagen typically uses it's social media platforms to advertise to a wide range of audiences.  They target millennials with their Facebook posts about their sportier line of cars - the Golf R, GTI, and Jetta and target families with content about their larger vehicles like the new Atlas.  There is also a large following of race fans who want to be up to date on the latest Americas Rallycross or even Europen race stats. VW.com shares this article about the first season of Americas Rallycross :  http://newsroom.vw.com/community/volkswagen-andretti-rallycross-beetles-sweep-inaugural-americas-rallycross/?cid=fb.20180530.1.p

     Commercials tend to feature younger actors and lately, their commercials have been focusing on the cars with an appeal to a younger generation than those with a more family or luxury appeal.  Visuals are bright and colorful - with a touch of a throwback to the vintage era and a feeling of wanderlust.  https://www.facebook.com/VW/videos/10160647437930790/.  Instagram seems to focus on showing a single image of a car highlighting only a portion of it.  This keeps the visuals interesting and makes people want to see more of the car.  https://www.instagram.com/p/BltOu_qjGUY/?taken-by=vw

     There are many ways for followers to engage with the brand through any of the social media sites they use.  According to unmetric.com, in June the VW Instagram page had 625,392 likes, VW posted 55 tweets to Twitter, and their Facebook following grew by .33%.  https://unmetric.com/brands/volkswagen  While this may seem like VW presents a good platform for engagement, a closer look shows that most of the tweets were closed-ended posts that didn't promote responses. Followers do a double tap to like images on Instagram and they can also upload their own images and tag #VW as well. 
     It appears that VW does not differentiate much between the content posted on Twitter and the content posted on Facebook leading me to question why I should follow both.  The only difference appears to be that people reach out via Twitter in hopes of opening a line of communication with someone at headquarters.  One thing that Volkswagen has accepted is the amount of negative feedback that they receive due to the diesel emissions scandal.  They remain diligent in answering as many of the negative tweets that they possibly can and offer support wherever possible. 

Creative Brief

Current examples of VW Marketing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9OwnU81rko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pkeiv7hZy_Y

Target Audience:
Environmentally conscious Millenials just starting families or with growing families. These people are proud that they are environmentally conscious and like others to know it. They also have an interest in unique and trendy products.

Target Interaction:
VW is a well-known brand amongst our target audience.  Many have been left with a sour taste in their mouths about VW due to the diesel scandal a few years ago. This vehicle provides a way for VW to win back their environmentally conscious, economically conscious customer base with a zero-emission, zero-gas, alternative fuel vehicle. The retro appeal of the original VW Microbus is so expansive that its popularity is almost guaranteed.

Current Competition:
Tesla - a popular brand that is exclusive to those that can afford them.  Furthermore, production has been limited so there is not a lot of market saturation. 

What you want your target audience to know and feel:
The I.D. Buzz is a minimalist design; it contains nothing that doesn’t need to be there. It is an immaterial material possession. It is a non-egocentric egocentric vehicle. The concept is based on a pop-culture icon everyone can identify with, giving customers the ability to go to new places without the negative impact on the environment. It is a perfect example of a vehicle as a status symbol. Consumers should feel good about the fact that they are doing their part to minimize emissions and happy that they are doing it in an iconic vehicle from VW. 

Key insight:
After showing the Modular Electric Drive platform in 2015 and the I.D. concept car in 2017, VW has unveiled the reimagining of the vintage Microbus for the 21st century: the I.D. Buzz. According to CNN.com VW intends to sell one million electric vehicles a year by 2025, starting in 2020.  http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/08/technology/volkswagen-id-buzz-concept/index.html
 The I.D. Buzz, which will be available in 2022 in the US, Europe, & China, showcases all of VW’s current design values: "likable, sensual, innovative, logical, and reflects the brand’s equity".
With its fully autonomous capabilities, room for eight, and fully reconfigurable interior, this vehicle would be the perfect family road trip vehicle, it's like a "party on wheels".  https://www.caranddriver.com/news/volkswagen-id-buzz-ev-concept-photos-and-info-news
“The iconic car of the electric age must be a Volkswagen” states Dr. Herbert Diess http://newsroom.vw.com/vehicles/future-cars/official-the-vw-bus-is-back-and-its-electric/
Like the original Microbus, the I.D. Buzz is roomy & versatile. Unlike the original, with its 30 hp engine and rear wheel drive, the new iteration boasts 396 hp from two electric motors and all-wheel drive, according to vw.com
https://www.automobilemag.com/news/volkswagen-d-buzz-concept-review-first-drive/