Tuesday, October 9, 2012

May The Force Stay With You VOLKSWAGEN!!!!



When you hear Volkswagen Passat, what image comes to mind? Is it the vehicle itself or quite possibly is it the cute little super bowl ad they debuted in 2011? Foe me it’s that cute little commercial. The little boy trying to use “The Force” to move the dog, a doll, a sandwich, and then start his dad’s car.

Personally I thought it was great marketing. It was not over the top with the features and benefits of the car. In fact they never discuss the car in the commercial at all. The target market seems to have a couple of different marketing mixes. I would say the main target market would be the middleclass, 35-55 age group with small children. However, it also seems they could be targeting the science fiction genre of the 35-55 something’s as Star Wars was popular mostly in the 80’s.

If you saw the commercial you remembered it. It is almost guaranteed that you also remembered that the car was a Volkswagen. That was the goal right? Branding. Their brand etched into your brain. The point, next time the 40 something’s with children need to buy a new car they first look at a Volkswagen. That little commercial plays in the back of their mind. It got in there. They might not remember that it was a Passat specifically but they remembered it was a Volkswagen. Making it quite possible that the first vehicles they choose to look at and think about are Volkswagens.

The commercial also invokes a good feeling and maybe even a chuckle or two. When the dad starts the car and gives his child’s ego a bit of a boost by doing so, that’s where the good feeling comes in. If you were a parent watching the commercial you completely related to that. Probably thought, “I would totally do that if my son/daughter was dressed like Vader and was doing that by my car” This goes to that psychological part of the marketing mix.

Bravo Volkswagen!! Volkswagen got into our emotions and we now feel good about the possibility of purchasing aVolkswagen, and maybe a Passat specifically.

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