While doing a little web browsing today I came across a cause marketing campaign developed by VW back in 2009. It was based off of the Green initiative that majority of the world is now participating in. Volkswagen wanted to prove that marketing a brand doesn’t mean always promoting its products and performance; it can be standing for a cause and living a life that is a reflection of the cause. They also proved that a costly TV commercial is not always the best way to leave an impression. I have to give it to Volkswagen; we all know it’s harder to live “GREEN” than it is to talk about it. So what they do? Volkswagens marketing team transformed a stairway in a Sweden train station into an interactive keyboard beside an escalator in hopes more people would take the stairs. Volkswagen believes that the easiest way to change people’s behavior for the better is by making it fun to do. They called it ‘The Fun Theory’ needless to say it worked and 66% more people chose to take the stair over the escalator! So how do this relate to emerging media? Well it’s not real until is on the web! Volkswagen posted their Fun Theory’s on YouTube and they took off, in 4 day this one effort got 1.4 million views. At the end of the video a VW log came onto the screen making the brand placement low-key but impressionable. Even thought the videos did not show VW cars driving down the road it pushed the VW logo all around the web for tens of thousands of people to pass around. These efforts show that the company is up to date and in the know of how to leverage social media to their advantage. Also, paring their brand with a cause produces a positive association with the brand. Volkswagen hit a homerun in using emerging media to get their fresh marketing efforts out the world. I have provided a few of the videos let me know what you think!
Jul15
