We used 51 specially-created moments to bring the T-Roc’s #BORNCONFIDENT persona to life in media.
Background
To successfully launch Volkswagen’s biggest new model in a decade - the T-Roc - into the highly competitive Small SUV category.
Describe the creative idea/insights
The small SUV category, into which the T-Roc model was launching, is one of the most competitive automotive battlefields in the UK as more and more manufacturers launch new models.
That makes brand differentiation a key challenge.
Volkswagen’s strategic focus on all of its SUV brands (Tiguan, Touareg and now the T-Roc) is centred around CONFIDENCE.
So, when you’re launching a new car, HOW DO YOU DEMONSTRATE DRIVER CONFIDENCE THROUGH MEDIA and stand out from the crowd?
We did this by leveraging Bam the Ram - the star of the T-Roc’s launch TV commercial.
Bam is a little ram, born with BIG confidence. Just like the new Volkswagen T-Roc.
So we created a media strategy that would let Bam make a confident impact BEYOND the T-Roc’s launch ads.
Describe the strategy
To launch the T-Roc we delivered THE UK’S MOST CONFIDENT MEDIA STRATEGY.
Whilst other SUV brands stuck with the approach of showcasing their cars driving up mountains or through deserted cityscapes…
…we took the T-Roc’s confidence to the next level and CREATED A MEDIA PLAN THAT ALLOWED BAM TO BURST OUT OF THE T-ROC CAMPAIGN AND RAM INTO OTHER BRANDS’ ADS – IN EVERY MEDIUM WE USED.
This not only delivered our ‘Born Confident’ message in the media space we bought – it also delivered it in the environments that SURROUNDED the media space we’d bought too.
Describe the execution
Before we could execute our confident ‘ramming’ media strategy to its fullest, we made ‘Bam the Ram’ famous with a heavyweight 3-week TV campaign.
We negotiated with five well-known brands to partner with us on the launch, and Bam then started his own media invasion of the ad campaigns of Wall’s, Virgin Atlantic, Admiral Insurance, Castle Howard and Harvey Nichols.
TV came first with a series of specially-made ad breaks in which Bam smashed through the screen of Admiral and Virgin Atlantics ads, before his own ad was broadcast.
He then moved onto Digital OOH where Wall’s Ice Cream and Castle Howard saw Bam invade their ads.
Special-build OOH saw Bam break out of a physical billboard.
In newspapers, Bam took a stroll through editorial and broke into ads for Harvey Nichols, Wall’s and Castle Howard.
And finally, in social media, Bam smashed through motivational posts to deliver his message.
List the results
T-Roc’s website became the most visited car model site of ANY car in the UK.
Brand index for Volkswagen hit its highest level for 2 years.
VW Brand consideration rose by 7% points.
Purchase intent for the brand increased by 3% points.
Customer demand outstripped supply,
AND T-ROC BECAME THE UK’S MOST SUCCESSFUL SMALL SUV LAUNCH FOR 7 YEARS – despite overall UK car sales declining during its launch period.