NEW DELHI: German carmaker Volkswagen today took advertising to a new level with an innovative audio advertisement in print to create a buzz for its entry level sedan Vento.
Using a voice-recorded device pasted on two English dailies, the company sprang a surprise to many readers in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune and Chennai on a campaign for which it is believed to have spent up to Rs 5 crore.
"Twenty two lakh chips were specially sourced for the one time exercise. We have been working on this for the last six months in order to bring out the advertisement," Mediacom Managing Director Divya Gururaj told PTI.
Mediacom manages the media planning operations for Volkswagen, while the creatives are being handled by advertising agency DDB Mudra.
According to Gururaj, a huge workforce was deployed by the publishers of the two newspapers to bundle 22 lakh devices that played the audio version of an advertisement.
"Our aim was to be able to emotionally connect to our customers with this product and what better way than being able to directly speak to them with the aid of a newspaper," Volkswagen Group Sales India, Head of Marketing for passenger cars Lutz Kothe said.
VW described the campaign as "world's first talking newspaper with Volkswagen Vento".
The company last month announced the launch of Vento in India priced between Rs 6.99 lakh and Rs 7.99 lakh (ex- showroom Delhi).
According to branding experts it is a great idea that has been executed the carmaker.
"Given the fact that people do not buy a car for one advertisement, it is a fantastic start by the company and it been able to create a buzz about the product. It is surely a bold move to spend that kind of money on one day," Madison Group Chairman Sam Balsara said.
VW spends Rs 5 cr on 'talking newspaper' campaign - The Economic Times
