Ad By: DDB Mudra
Das Auto = "The Car"
Volkswagen started their campaign in India, not by coming with their brand name but by showing themselves as Category name. They emphasize on "Das Auto" in every communication which means "The Car" in German language. So when they started to reach the Indian customer, they didn't try to pitch in with their product features or with their German engineering expertize or with their well known brand name, they took a bigger challenge of making their name synonymous with automobile category - Car. Like in earlier days, for middle class of India, car meant Maruti; same way in todays highly cluttered automobile industry, Volkswagen wants the Indian customer to think of Volkswagen when they think of Car. Establishing the brand name in minds of audience, Volkswagen take it forward by presenting their international product in the most local way.
The tv commercials for "Polo" from Volkswagen came after interesting, eye-catching newspaper print ads. The tv commercial ads in series of 4 were equally noticeable and interesting. The product is targeted for Middle class with price starting from around 4.5 Lakhs and thus in every communication, it comes across that how well they have understood their target segment. A middle class family who would consider buying this product would be someone who is learned, knows about competitive world and so could be someone from corporate world with formal attire and sleeves folded, tie loosened by the end of day. When he makes a purchase decision for high involvement product like car, he tries to find out maximum information about all the basic features of car like fuel efficiency, ground clearance, safety etc. He would trust it only after he finds about it himself. This is how car is purchased in Indian families after lot of research and discussions about it. So, Volkswagen hits on this very obsession of finding about features, presenting a corporate individual in his Maharashtra registered car (MH 02 BM 1199) who tries to test his car for few specific features. The moment he takes a sigh of relief that his car cleared the test he himself put in front of it, he finds himself in a problem for challenging the obvious. Showing how they understand the thinking of their customers, they attempt to remove all apprehensions any customer carry, by voice over in the end saying Engineers have already tested the vehicle so customers don't have to bother themselves by doing it again. That is indeed like getting inside the consumers mind. Though it might also leave a negative feeling for a part of audience who might take an offense for showing them to land in pool if they try to challenge the brand but then there is very little difference in reality and optimism.
Earlier, Volkswagen has been taken as International brand who are too good but even the best needs to get better with Indian road conditions. In this campaign, they have replied to this very challenge by giving proof that how Indian road conditions are well taken by "Polo" from Volkswagen. Also, they don't miss out in mentioning that its still German Engineering but is Made in India. That is the like making best German Engineering better for Indian conditions. Though they shoot in South Africa to show Indian conditions but that is fair enough until the point is put across well. They seem to have taken care of every minute thing and indeed get noticed in midst of high competition of automobile where every car ad looks almost same.
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