Agency/media operation
PALM Publicité Marketing

Client
Volkswagen of America

Brand
Passat 4MOTION

Budget
$35,000 (media only)

Media used
Magazine

Timing
September 2002

Media team
Karine Courtemanche, media strategist, PALM Publicité

The background

Unlike previous years, in 2002 Volkswagen could not count on the launch of a new model to inject dynamism into the brand. Therefore, we had to create advertising campaigns for Quebec that were strong enough to build excitement for the brand on their own.

The campaigns also had to incorporate Volkswagen’s unique selling proposition: that it’s a car that provides an unparalleled driving experience. Specifically, thanks to its exclusive state-of-the-art technology, driving a Volkswagen in the winter is a surprisingly pleasant experience.

We wanted the campaigns to provide a taste of this experience. We hoped that, through these campaigns, consumers could feel the same sensations that Volkswagen drivers feel. In short, we wanted them to have a near-sensory experience with the brand.

From a media point of view, the main objective was to develop plans that were adapted to the very specific media habits of Volkswagen drivers. More than ever, Volkswagen wished to reach a clientele with a high income and a very specific sociodemographic profile.

The plan

The idea was to use a unique and impactful magazine insert to give consumers a taste of how the Passat 4Motion grips the road.

On this insert, velcro fasteners strategically placed on the four car tires symbolized the grip to the road. This created an interaction with the reader, who was able to have a unique experience with the brand. Although magazines are packed with car ads, this insert was determined to set itself apart.

There were many challenges during this project. For example, the velcro fasteners had to be glued on manually, which increased production costs considerably. Therefore, one of the major contributions of the media team was to prove that this campaign would generate a profitable return on investment.

The media budget would normally allow us to cover five months in the five largest business magazines in Quebec with four-colour full-page ads. So we had to prove that in this particular case, the brand could benefit more from the impact than from the frequency.

We presented an in-depth argument which showed that, contrary to the theory that a minimum of three displays is necessary to make an effective impact, research has proven that it is the first insertion that generates the biggest impact in terms of brand awareness and purchase intention.

It turned out to be a good strategy to invest in the first insert, which generated a sufficiently significant impact to ensure an adequate effectiveness for subsequent traditional ads at a lower cost.

Another challenge was the limited budget, which only allowed us to produce about 150,000 copies of the insert. Thus it was crucial to determine the optimal distribution mix.

The insert was published in 100,000 copies of L’Actualité – only those issues destined for readers in districts where the average family income exceeded $60,000 per year. It was also included in all copies of Commerce magazine, the readers of which had the highest average family income according to the Print Measurement Bureau (PMB).

Finally, the media team had to determine, together with production services, the best way to place the insert in the magazines.

In order to staple the insert, a two-inch flap was needed. The agency turned this limitation into a creative opportunity: the flap would stick out 10 pages before the main insert and act as a teaser.

Finally, the creative concept called for the insert to open from the bottom upward. Since full-page inserts never open in that direction, the fold would have automatically been cut off when the magazine was assembled at the printing plant. The solution, suggested by the media team, was to demand that the whole magazine be printed upside down so that it would be cut at the ‘bottom’ of the page.

The results

The challenges were overcome thanks to the close collaboration of all the services involved in this project (media, creative, production and customer service). The campaign turned out to be a true success, which is why Volkswagen has decided to reprint the insert in 2003 and is considering distributing it on a broader scale.

The Judges rave…

‘A great example of a well-rounded plan built to client business needs: good innovation; good consideration of budgets and return on investment. Excellent problem-solving as well.’

‘The connection to traction was well communicated within the medium – and the costly production was mitigated by solid media science.’