VW unveils customer-focused brand promise

Volkswagen is looking to make the marketing for its trucks and vans more engaging with the launch of a customer-focused brand promise.

VWTransporter-Campaign-2013
Volkswagen’s Transporter van will appear in its upcoming campaign designed around real customer stories.

The strategy, dubbed internally as “Working with You”, launches later this week (24 May) with a £2.5m campaign centring on the real-life stories of its customers. It spans outdoor, radio, print, social and email with each element focusing on a different customer.

Stories will promote the company’s promise to be a business that supports its customers’ needs by focusing on its roster of retailers. Volkswagen says it is the only commercial vehicle supplier in the UK with a dedicated network of retailers and hopes the upcoming activity will turn this into a USP for potential customers.

Mark Hopkins, head of marketing, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles says the “campaign is the first move to position the division as a “business partner that supports its customers’ needs”. Ads will showcase the company’s Transporter range.

The German automotive manufacturer is hoping the decision to switch from product and price will help it gain ground on rival Ford. The US car marque has a 20 per cent share of the market, while Volkswagen holds a 14 per cent portion.

Hopkins adds: “If we were going to put the customer at the heart of our marketing strategy then we felt we needed to put them at the centre of the new campaign as well. It allows us to start talking to the customer in a way that is more meaningful about how we can partner them.

“We’re trying to balance building loyalty to drive retention with the need to acquire customers which is why we decided to focus on the service our dedicated retailers can offer.”

The shift in strategy comes after its marketing team reviewed their approach to brand building last July in an attempt to stand a part from other brands in the category. It is working with Adam & Eve DDB on the long-term strategy, which includes the launch of a digital content hub in partnership with Channel 4.

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