Insight
Even the most casual fans can’t resist the excitement of the World Cup, and it’s that same frenzy that Volkswagen wanted for the launch of its new speedy and sporty VW Golf GTI.
To make it real, though, it would have to be right there on the field, enjoying every moment of triumph and drowning our sorrows at every lost shot.
There was just one catch: Volkswagen wasn’t an official World Cup sponsor.
How could it make a big splash without actually being at the event, especially when every other advertiser was scrambling to be heard?
Mediacom realised that during a high-stakes event when every moment counts, it was key to be quick and relevant to resonate with fans. It appealed to what makes the matches so exciting – loyalty to a team and cheering them on through their World Cup journey. It wanted to complement fans’ enthusiasm and provide value with shareable content to display their sentiments.
Strategy
Mediacom kicked ambush marketing into high gear and seamlessly integrated VW into the of-the-moment excitement of the games.
Within just three seconds of each goal, it posted an “instant replay,” except this time, instead of human players, it was a field full of VW Golf GTIs, skinned as the competing teams, with the scoring team racing around before kicking the ball square in the net.
Each spot ended up with the rallying cry “GOOOOOOOOLF!,” hijacking sportscaster Andres Cantor’s iconic “GOOOOOOOOOAL!” call.
And to be sure it was ready for anything – every surprise, every shocker – the agency made 288 UNIQUE spots, tapping into fan fever like no other brand could.
Execution
With each goal scored, VW was ready to celebrate IMMEDIATELY. The celebratory videos and banners were posted on social media and alongside ESPN and Univision. On Twitter, it ran the Promoted Trend #VWGolfGTI, targeting relevant users and keywords.
To gain further credibility with fans, Mediacom worked with on-air talent from ESPN and Univision to create performance-focused vignettes to air on TV (one had famed sports commentator Andres Cantor teaching his son how to drive a Golf, and calling it play-by-play like he would a World Cup match).
Next, it secured spots in every single match across the networks, alongside companion digital placements online, including homepage takeovers and a sponsorship of the Univision Fan Forum. The campaign was also promoted in ESPN The Magazine and ESPN Radio.
Results
Fast Company called it one of the best unofficial World Cup campaigns, and the real-time content was a huge hit with viewers!
• 10+ million views on YouTube, with the overall campaign generating 1.4 billion earned media impressions
• 843% lift in mentions of @VW on the day of the Promoted Trend vs. the daily average 7 days prior
• 201% increase in model page visits YOY
• Achieved 122% of our sales objective
To top it off, the campaign resulted in Volkswagen’s share-of-shopping on industry-leading source Kelley Blue Book increasing nearly 20%, more than any other brand, including official World Cup sponsors.