Volkswagen pays tribute to its drivers and fans

Volkswagen and adam&eveDDB are celebrating the enduring role of the Volkswagen brand in the lives of their drivers and fans with the release of its new brand platform.

The new platform, ‘YourWagen’ stems from the Volkswagen brand name, literally meaning ‘people’s car’, and commemorates the love and emotional connection that drivers from all walks of life have for Volkswagen cars. YourWagen is set to be adopted on a global level and reach audiences in multiple markets from summer 2024.

The brand platform launches with a TV campaign of the same name, showcasing the scale and intensity of Volkswagen fandom, through real-life car love stories of Volkswagen owners. Championing the people that make the Volkswagen brand special, the campaign aims to demonstrate that “Without the Volks, there is no Wagen”.

The hero 60-second spot illustrates the central role a Volkswagen car plays in the lives of so many, vividly brought to life through a series of family archive snapshots, home movies and specially-shot footage, all set to the 1970s hit ‘Thank You for Being a Friend’ by Andrew Gold.

The diverse array of Volkswagen owners and how they use their cars include the ‘MumsWagen’, ‘NansWagen’, ‘SnoozeWagen’, ‘WalkiesWagen’ and ‘HolidayWagen’, while Volkswagen cars feature in key life moments such as weddings and raising a family, with ‘StagWagen’, ‘WeddingWagen’ and ‘TripleTroubleWagen’. The film ends with the key message ‘YourWagen’. Without the Volks, there is no Wagen’.

Exploring the heart-warming stories that demonstrate the brand’s iconic status, the campaign exclusively features real Volkswagen drivers recruited from across the UK via recruitment agency Six Minutes.

The campaign was created in genuine collaboration between Volkswagen and its fans, with drivers being involved from the early-stages of creative development. As part of the campaign, Volkswagen tells the deeper stories of their fans’ relationships with their cars, across social and digital in partnership with Tribal.

The campaign is running across TV, VOD, social and owned channels until June 30, with a second burst to follow later in the year.

The UK TV ad was directed by Finn McGough through production company Dark Energy Films. Media was handled by PHD and Tribal developed the online experience and organic social creative.

Sarah Cox-Thornley, head of marketing at Volkswagen UK, said: “This new brand platform is special. We’ve involved our customers and fans from the very start and worked with them to create something that we feel is truly unique and collaborative. It’s something that other brands simply couldn’t do and taps into the breadth and depth of our fanbase. Hearing some of the stories about customers and their cars has been a really wholesome experience and demonstrates how Volkswagen has always been, and will always be, an inclusive brand – that’s why it is the people’s car.”

Sam LeCoeur, chief client officer at adam&eveDDB, added: “Volkswagen has been a jewel in the crown of DDB for over 60 years, and we couldn’t be prouder of the work we’ve done together on this campaign to help reignite the love for this brilliant brand.”

Credits

Client: Volkswagen

Campaign: YourWagen

CLIENTS

Rod McLeod - Director of Volkswagen UK

Sarah Cox-Thornley - Head of Marketing at Volkswagen UK

Glyn Butterworth - Marketing Manager Brand & Performance at Volkswagen UK

Laura Ayers - Brand Marketing Manager at Volkswagen UK

Nic Burrows - Brand Marketing Manager at Volkswagen UK

Hannah Davis - Brand Communications Manager at Volkswagen UK

Fiona Jones - Social Media Manager at Volkswagen UK

Rob Punshon - Corporate & Lifestyle Communications Manager at Volkswagen UK

Marianne Bearton – Digital Operations Manager

Katie Williams – Digital Manager

CREATIVE AGENCY: adam&eveDDB

Richard Brim - Chief Creative Officer

Ant Nelson – Executive Creative Director

Mike Sutherland – Executive Creative Director

Tim Vance - Creative Director

Paul Knott - Creative Director

Chloe Pope - Senior Creative

Molly Johnstone - Social Creative

Martin Beverley - Chief Strategy Officer

Jack Spicer - Strategy Director

Oscar Beach - Strategist

Tammy Einav – Executive Chair

Sam Le Coeur - Chief Client Officer

Nick Wilkie - Business Lead

Piers Raffo - Business Lead

Isabella Best - Account Director

Jono Shaw - Account Director

Freddie Reeve - Account Manager

Bella Bisset - Account Executive

Mary Fostiropoulos - Producer

Holly Pienaar - Producer

Charlotte Ellison - Producer

Stuart Heyburn - Agency Operations Director

Rasha Noronha - Project Director

Jane Bartram - Project Director

Ella Rivron - Project Manager

Luke Williams – Analytics Director

Tom Campbell - Senior Legal Counsel

DIGITAL EXPERIENCE AGENCY: Tribal

Social & platform

Victoria Buchanan - Executive Creative Director

Rhys Edwards - Creative Director

Dave Sullivan – Creative Director

James Monaghan - Head of Design

Maria Gimeno – Designer

Raphael Bejar – Senior Motion Designer

Ellie Bloomfield - Social Media Director

Shqip Osmani – Social Media Producer

Charlotte Levine - CX

Joanne Ackuaku - Senior Project Manager

Aaron Rackley - Technical Lead Front End

Gary Jobe – VP Technology

Mark Geden - VP-Strategy

Alexis Jamgotchian - Business Director

Anna Vigerland - Account Director

Bradley Williamson – Director Marketing Science

Joe Thompson – Senior Analyst Marketing Science

Danlin Lyu - Associate Analyst Marketing Science

MEDIA AGENCY: PHD

Toby Nettle - Chief Client Officer

Hiot Shawl - Managing Partner

Alban Treglohan - Client Partner

Kirsty McMeekin - Planning Partner

Sarah Harte - Business Director

Alexandra Thompson - Planning Associate Director

Andre Lenclume - Planning Senior Executive

James Hawkins - AV Director

Macaullay Hollywood - Biddable Manager

Andrew Bowen - Client Manager, Talon

PRODUCTION COMPANY: DARK ENERGY

Director: Finn McGough

Producer: Jonn Stopp

Executive Producer/MD: Matt Brown

Production Manager: Lucy Morton-Hicks

DOP: Luke Jacobs

Casting Producer: Ciara Kennedy

Socials Videographer: Chris Turner

EDITING COMPANY: MARSHALL STREET EDITORS

TV Editor: Jinx Godfrey

Social Editor ‘Andrew & Jordan’: Spencer Ferszt & Guy Savin

Social Editor ‘Hanzalah’: Toby Conway-Hughes

Social Editor ‘Luke’: Oliver Morgan

Assistant Editor: Joshua Sampson

Producer: S.J. O’Mara

SOUND COMPANY: SINE AUDIO POST PRODUCTION

Engineers: Phil Bolland & Frankie Beirne

MD: Julian Marshall