| Title | VOLKSPARKING |
| Brand | VOLKSWAGEN |
| Product/Service | AN INTERACTIVE BASKETBALL COURT |
| Category |
D04. Brand Installation & Experience |
|
Entrant
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DDB BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
|
|
Idea Creation
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DDB BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
|
Credits
| Peter Ampe |
DDB Brussels |
Creative Director |
| Odin Saillé |
DDB Brussels |
Creative Director |
| Romain Felix |
DDB Brussels |
Art Director |
| Johnathan Benois |
DDB Brussels |
Art Director |
| Silvie Erzeel |
DDB Brussels |
Account Manager |
| Kenn Van Lijsebeth |
DDB Brussels |
PR Manager |
| Sylvie De Couvreur |
DDB Brussels |
Account Director |
| Anneleen Vande Voorde |
DDB Brussels |
Account Executive |
| Stefanie Warreyn |
DDB Brussels |
Head of digital production |
| Sven Verfaille |
DDB Brussels |
Designer |
The Campaign
Volkswagen created Volksparking, a concept transforming parking spaces into hybrid spaces where cars and people co-habit.
The first idea executed, is a mobile basketball hoop with built-in sensors, it searches empty parking spaces and turns them into playgrounds. Installed at a parking lot in Belgium, the installation allowed local residents to use the free spaces as a play area. The hoop makes use of customized software and took 8 months to produce.
Creative Execution
The mobile basketball hoop was installed on a rail of 20 metres long, it automatically looks for empty spaces and turns them into a playground. It makes use of customized software and took 8 months to produce. Installed at a parking lot in Belgium, the installation allowed local residents to use the free spaces as a play area.
Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market
The initiative got Volkswagen in the news again with positive exposure; “A combination of creativity, technology and social engagement”, Little Black Book, “This initiative shows cleverly how the city can be shared by everybody”, Trendhunter
The installation attracted the attention of other cities. At the moment we are preparing the installation of 4 more Volksparkings in Belgium. And other cities like Detroit and Toronto got interested at well.
Volksparking was developed in partnership with MIT, the mobile hoop is just one of the many ideas to humanise parking lots.
In times of negative perception of the brand, Volkswagen wanted and idea creating sympathy, and showing that VW is not only a car manufacturer concerned with the people inside their cars, but also playing a bigger role in society.
The problem we’ve identified in urbanised areas is that open space is often sacrificed for the benefit of cars and their mobility. How could Volkswagen respond to this - knowing that they’re part of the problem - in a way that showed their social engagement?
We considered it would be appropriate to use residential space in a creative way and look for positive, future-oriented solutions for urbanisation. A pragmatic approach of taking the best of two worlds an making the best of existing circumstances, rather than trying to install new and forced solutions.