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Time for the all-new Volkswagen innovation
As they read the headline 'Time for the all-new Jetta', the readers of four editions of The Times of India and Chennai edition of The Hindu geared up for a shiny new morning newspaper, and the trademark innovation ride with Volkswagen.
On a busy Monday morning on August 29, readers of The Times of India's Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Bengaluru and The Hindu Chennai edition woke up to a shiny newspaper that was thicker than their regular paper. The headline read, 'Time for Volkswagen. Time for the all-new Jetta'. For Volkswagen, it's Das Innovation.
The paper for the print innovation was allegedly sourced much prior to the print innovation. The paper feels like steel and has a high level of gloss.
The colour of the paper matches the colour of the car. Along with vehicle, Volkswagen has also launched a contest, called 'What will you do for the all new Jetta?'. In this contest, the wittiest and quirkiest of the tweets stand a chance to win the new Jetta.
Lutz Kothe, head, marketing and public relations, passenger cars, Volkswagen Group Sales, tells afaqs!, "Volkswagen stands for innovation. It is a value. This value translates into all of our communication." He also claims that the thickness and the quality of the paper used are far better than the thickness of usual newspapers, depicting quality.
The innovation follows ground-breaking advertisements such as the Talking Newspaper, 'Think Blue' campaign, the Paper with a Hole and the Tyre Impressions ads.
Sources from the industry have revealed that Volkswagen has signed a Rs 8-10 crore exclusive contract with TOI, about a few months ago. The exclusive nature of the deal allows Volkswagen to choose a bouquet of innovations within TOI, some of which have been revered by the advertising industry. This print innovation is also a part of the deal. The exclusivity contract also bars Volkswagen from advertising in TOI's national competitors such as Hindustan Times and DNA.
The creative agency for Volkswagen in India is DDB Mudra. Mediacom is taking care of the media mandate in India.
Rajeev Raja, national creative director, DDB Mudra, tells afaqs!, "We have witnessed a plethora of car launches in this quarter of the year. The communication for the new Jetta clearly breaks through the clutter."
The creative director, copy for the advertisement is Ranjit Sasidharan; while Sreejith Kodoth is creative director, art.
Besides the print innovation, the automotive company has planned a 360-degree promotion strategy for the new Jetta.
Bobby Pawar, chief creative officer, Mudra Group, says, "The attempt was not just to stand out, but also to get readers to visually feel the sportiness of the all-new Jetta and the exacting standards of German engineering to which it is built."
The entire campaign was finalised much prior to the launch. Priced at Rs 14.12 lakh, Volkswagen unveiled the all-new Jetta in India on August 17.