“Unpimp the Auto.”
20 years after the launch of the original GTI, Volkswagen looked to re-launch an updated model of the race-inspired classic. However, after two decades, the automobile climate had changed. Culturally, it was popular to take a Japanese import of lesser performance and “pimp” it cosmetically. To make it look badass. But, the GTI came fully loaded, with state-of-the-art German engineering, a sexy new look and a reasonable price tag. So we prompted people to “ün-pimp” their tuners and strap in to the new GTI. Sales were catapulted 150% over projections.
The campaign won a Cannes Integrated Gold Lion.
GTI. Pre-Tuned in Germany.
Customized GTI “Joy Rides”
The campaign featured an online GTI Configurator where—after you build your GTI to specifications—you get to take it out for a Joy Ride with German auto engineering maven, Helga. How you spec your GTI determines the course of each Joy Ride.
Choose paddle shifters and you’ll wind up on a race track going head to head with a tuner car. Choose Tornado Red and watch Helga come spinning in like “a twister outta Deutschland.” Try the leather.
The Unpimp integrated campaign included OOH and interactive banners that played up the German pre-tuned performance of the GTI—And Helga became something of a sensation in her own right with her own ringtones, posters and a Facebook fan club.
Auf Wiedersehen, sales projections. Coming off the heels of this campaign sales of the GTI were 150% over the projected sales, and helped kickstart a year in which VW sales would be up 4% in a climate when sales for the other large auto dealers would be down 10% on average.
