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Background
Volkswagen Canada engaged Strategic Objectives, Canada's #1 Public Relations Firm, to craft a multifaceted, highly creative campaign to support the debut of the Arteon, in the Canadian market. After several years of negative press VW Canada was ready to change the conversation and highlight its commitment to innovation and it’s brand new vision of the future. The campaign was rooted in #LifeInSmartLuxury as an expression of the belief that luxury isn’t defined by a price tag or a badge brand, but rather a philosophy and lifestyle inclusive of art, travel, food and fashion. Our inventive program embodied the spirit of #LifeInSmartLuxury and celebrated the Art of the Arteon.
The Challenge
Change the Conversation and Change Perceptions
- Create a high-impact Social and Experiential PR program to enhance the positivity linked to VW’s brand power and equity in the Canadian market
- Drive positive media coverage and generate social media buzz
- Position the new Arteon as an example of a new vision and achieve a brand halo across all VW nameplates
- Showcase the Arteon as a symbol of #LifeInSmartLuxury
The Solution
Creativity and Innovation drove powerful results and ground-breaking success
Our unforgettable program achieved memorable, positive brand awareness, and immortalized the automaker as part of an essential Canadian cultural moment and in Toronto’s history:
What We Did
- Established an authentic partnership with the brand-new Toronto Museum of Contemporary Art for its grand opening and first exhibition
- Created an original and newsworthy outdoor art installation with renowned international experimental artist Scott Froschauer showcasing the VW Arteon and the art of #LifeInSmartLuxury. This activation was a highlight of the Museum’s Grand Opening Celebration Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for dignitaries ranging from celebrities in the cultural community to the mayor of Toronto and the Queen’s representative, The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
- Collaborated with four essential influencers representing the worlds of art, fashion, food and travel – the pillars of #LifeInSmartLuxury – for an engaging social media campaign
- Produced a stunning digital video series showcasing our ambassadors, their lives in smart luxury and their connections to the values of the Arteon
- Hosted an exclusive media preview event at the museum to unveil the Arteon experiential outdoor art installation
- Activated national media, blogger and influencer relations
- Created week-long, #LifeInSmartLuxury Arteon test drive experiences for bloggers and influencers
- Showcased our branded VW art installation as part of Toronto’s famed art festival, Nuit Blanche, attended by hundreds of thousands of culture vultures
The Result
Results were outstanding, achieving our goals and smashing our measurable objectives. Media coverage was 100% positive. Consumer engagements and the Arteon program solidified Volkswagen Canada as an iconic brand and a vital part of the community and Toronto’s cultural history:
25M+
Online Impressions
20M
Media Impressions
4 IABC
Gold Quill Awards
- Winner 4 International IABC Gold Quill Awards 2019:
- Excellence; Special and Experiential Events
- Excellence; Communications for the Web
- Excellence; Audio/Visual(Video)
- Merit; Media Relations
- Winner of 5 IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards 2019:
- Excellence; Digital Communication
- Excellence; Special Events
- Excellence; Media Relations
- Merit; Audio/Visual
- Merit; Advertising and Brand Communication
- Winner of Silver CRPS ACE Award for Brand Development Campaign of the Year
- Created an authentic contemporary experiential art installation worthy of national and international recognitionCreated an authentic contemporary experiential art installation worthy of national and international recognition
- Engaged with more than 22,000 consumers at the Arteon outdoor art installation
- Welcomed Tier-A media and influencers to a private VW Arteon event at MOCA Toronto
- Hosted 17 Arteon test drives with some of the GTA’s most notable influencers
- Secured 300+ pieces of coverage
- 4.2M social media followers reached
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