We were tasked with launching the latest model of the iconic Volkswagen Golf GTI. The situation was challenging to say the least. Not only did media data tell us that Australian car brands are the second biggest advertisers on TV, but our media budget was 14 times less than the segment leader. So, to stand out, we had to completely rethink how we behaved. The objective was to introduce the Golf GTI to Australia and generate test drives and leads, while framing the new model as an exciting, modern hot-hatch.

Our idea: Escape the everyday in a Golf GTI.

We wanted our work to live up to this ethos; to provide a genuine escape from the most monotonous aspects of life. We wanted to turn an ad break into something consumers looked forward to.

Don’t watch other people’s ads, play ours

We purchased the first ad in prime-time ad-breaks and, using a QR code, let people launch an in-browser racing game via their phones, in what we called the ‘Golf Adbreak Championship’. Players raced live against everyone else watching, turning a 30-second ad into a 3-minute brand experience.

To play, users simply had to enter their info which generated an active lead for the dealers and sent them personalised comms encouraging them to take a test drive for real.

The new Golf and Golf GTI were tech-heavy hot-hatches, which made the target audience primarily younger and tech-savvy. By embracing a gaming format, we were able to talk to this younger demographic, but by making the game an in-browser experience (thereby removing the need for app downloads) we made the barrier to entry incredibly low. Our strategy relied on research that told us that due to an over-saturation of car ads in the market, consumers had grown more weary and less engaged. They were also more inclined to give attention to the second screen (mobile/tablet) during ad breaks. By buying the first spot in ad breaks and giving consumers a way to enhance the commercial break experience with their mobile phone, we were able to capture a much more engaged audience and make sure while they were playing our game, they also weren't watching our competitors ads.

BACKGROUND

A new spin on an icon.

We were tasked with unveiling the latest model of Volkswagen Golf and Golf GTI to Australia. The Golf is one of the most iconic hatchbacks ever released, so announcing the latest model to the nation should be a simple task, right? Not so fast…

CREATIVE CHALLENGE

Losing our heartland.

The Volkswagen Golf has been long held as an icon of modern driving, but unfortunately our heartland consumers were starting to age out of the hatchback category, with many opting for the space and size of an SUV or Station Wagon over the compactness of a hatchback.

A generation that sees cars differently.

We needed to appeal to the next generation of drivers – Aussies under the age of 35. But young Aussies were less interested in car ownership; the rise of car-share services like Uber, Ola and GoGet had made owning a vehicle feel less necessary, and these customers were wary that the costs of vehicle ownership outweighed the benefits.

Flicking the emotional switch.

Young Aussies didn’t have the same emotional connection with their car as generations before them. One report found that Australians aged between 18-24 were 50% less likely to say they loved driving, compared those aged 25-341. They saw driving as a way to get from A to B.

The challenge:

Reignite the emotional connection and the thrill of driving among the next generation of drivers to get them excited about the new VW Golf GTI.

SOLUTION

More than just a way to get around.

There’s a feeling that comes with being behind the wheel of a great car. It’s not just about where it takes you physically, but emotionally too.

Driving is freedom.

The inside of our cars is one of the few places we can escape from all of it – it represents freedom from email and social media, freedom to choose our own music and sing along at the top of your lungs, freedom to go wherever you want to go, at a moment’s notice.

Strategy

Reignite the ‘Behind-the-Wheel Feel’ by positioning Golf as a refuge from modern life for the next generation of Aussies.

EXECUTION

Our idea: Escape the everyday in a Golf GTI.

We wanted our work to live up to this ethos; to provide a genuine escape from the most monotonous aspects of life. We wanted to turn an ad break into something consumers looked forward to.

Don’t watch other people’s ads, play ours

We purchased the first ad in prime-time ad-breaks and, using a QR code, let people launch an in-browser racing game via their phones, in what we called the ‘Golf Adbreak Championship’. Players raced live against everyone else watching, turning a 30-second ad into a 3-minute brand experience.

To play, users simply had to enter their info which generated an active lead for the dealers and sent them personalised comms encouraging them to take a test drive for real.

The GTI Hijack had a major impact on a budget 14 times less than the segment leader and one that paled in comparison to our competitors. We received over 70,000 game sessions, and more than 90,000 visits to the campaign page which was a traffic increase of 97%. It clocked up a total of 5,000 hours of active game time, hijacking over 2.7 million dollars in media from other brands whose ads appeared in the same commercial break. We made a major impact on our brand perception, doubling brand metrics for both ‘inspiring’ and ‘exciting’. Dealer callbacks went up 436%, stock enquiries went up 97%, and test drives went up 725%. Most importantly, sales of the Golf went up by 55% in our active campaign period, making it the most successful GTI launch ever.