Who: Volkswagen Canada, DDB Canada (Toronto), TrackDDB (CRM and loyalty), Touché! (media)
What: A campaign led by a new character, chief facts officer “Justin Facts.”
When/where: Justin Facts was first introduced via ads on radio and Spotify in December, and the campaign was recently expanded to include videos on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, along with CRM prospecting and loyalty via TrackDDB.
Why: According to Volkswagen Canada’s marketing manager, Virginie Ludmer, the perceived cost of owning a Volkswagen is the biggest barrier to purchase. The campaign uses humour to showcase how Volkswagen’s key brand attributes, including a longer-than-average warranty, new pre-paid maintenance plans and longer intervals between servicing, make ownership less costly than customers might think.
How: Justin Facts is a matter-of-fact announcer who bluntly lays out the facts about the costs of owning a Volkswagen, while also sprinkling in some other truths about the world at large.
Anything else? A new tool at VW.ca enables users to compare the maintenance costs for various models against competitor brands; the campaign is also running in Quebec, using a spokesperson called Vicki, developed by DDB in 2018.
Just the Facts #1: Volkswagen commanded about 3.6% of Canada’s light vehicle market last year according to Desrosiers Auto Consultants, a slight uptick from 3.4% in 2017. The German automaker sold 72,210 vehicles last year.
Just the Facts #2: According to YourMechanic.com, Volkswagen is the 22nd most expensive brand to maintain over 10 years, with a total cost of US$7,800 (Toyota leads the way at US$5,500). Volkswagen’s Passat model is among the 20 most expensive vehicles to maintain, costing US$11,600 over 10 years. The Jetta is among the least (costing $6,800).
