Malaysian Media Awards Winners Showcase
2013 | Finalist | Best Use of Newspapers / Magazines
Advertiser: Volkswagen Group Malaysia Sdn Bhd Brand: Volkswagen Creative Agency: M&C Saatchi (M) Sdn Bhd Credits: Liew Siew Eng (Business Director), Jasmin Hoy (Senior Communication Manager), Sean Sen (Communication Planner), Lydia Lai (Implementation Executive), Katherine Lee (Senior Implementation Executive), Heidee Ahmad (The Edge Communications)
Challenge
Volkswagen needed to establish the Beetle’s appeal to a wider set of consumers, to both young and old, beyond just females to males. The challenge was to implement a campaign that re-ignites consumer’s interest, regenerate buzz and excitement for the resounding return of this true ICON.
Solution
It’s not just about BIG but also about CUT-THROUGH. The two defining qualities people recognize in the Beetle are its iconic silhouette and ORIGINALITY: being a FIRST and one of a kind. The approach: remind people of the same aspirational qualities by visually highlighting the beetle silhouette in all elevant touchpoints, executed in ways never been done in Malaysia. Print gave us the opportunity to achieve massive reach while pushing creative execution to the hilt.
Execution
“Silhouette-outlined” teaser ads ran for three days across all major newspapers nationwide, and on The Edge to capture more PMEB males. For launch impact, we executed a reverse-gatefold full-wrap using 100% wood-free paper, cleverly adopting a ‘die-cut shape of the New Beetle’ on the front page of The Edge that unfolds to reveal the full Beetle image and story. Extended to magazine ads, approximating full-page buys that can unfold to become poster spreads for collectors!
Results
Orders for the new Beetle were overwhelming which led to a minimum of 6-months waiting list period for customers! Print reached 83% of PMEBs with an average frequency of 15, 5X the norm. Online Search for the Beetle spiked to 100 index points at launch vs. 24 index points pre-campaign.
