this question grabbed my attention immediately and when was the last time you saw an interesting message in a banner ad?
the neatly built and branded vw What The People Want microsite asks:"Do you want an end to political correctness?"
or fun question like, "Do you want to take the tiny soap and shampoo bottles from hotel rooms?"
(btw, last time i checked the majority of people want both!)
users are encouraged to suggest an opinion of their own and the poll that generates the most positive votes gets:- printed on t-shirts, bumper stickers, mugs and pins
- giant interactive sign in Times Square, NYC
opinion polls are not the nkotb of the internet obviously, but i've got to give a not to vw for showing some courage and doing something not a lot of car companies are willing to promote - honesty.this is a solid buzz campaign that makes the most of people's love of online polls and interactive spectacles in outdoor spaces. the campaign that i stumbled upon was clearly targeted towards new yorkers, but i think vw should take this all the major cities across north america... and even the world. they can stretch this for miles by comparing what the people want in each city.
this campaign is especially timely during the u.s. presidential primaries. people are ITCHIN to make their vote count. this may sound crazy, but do you think that the people that vw is engaging are more likely to vote in the elections than not???
the final word
brand experience has never been so accessible to the masses than online, and gives off the general vibe that vw is thoughtful and progressive. what do you bet that those are two psych descriptors for the consumers they're trying to engage? not only did i have fun submitting my opinion, i liked that the vehicle push was secondary to the overall brand experience.
