Crispin Gets ‘Das Boot’
Aug 27, 2009
Many industry experts were surprised about the recent announcement that VW and Crispin are parting ways. After all, VW’s market share actually improved in recent months and although sales were still down, the decline wasn’t as steep as the automotive industry as a whole. In addition, the four-year partnership resulted in some memorable and much talked about advertising.
My favorite was the 2007 television spots that featured the tagline, “When you get into a Volkswagen, it gets into you.” The campaign was the closest to a mainstream, real campaign Crispin ever got with VW. Unfortunately, Crispin quickly yanked the campaign, only to replace it with more bizarre, quirky work like last year’s ‘DAS AUTO’ campaign, featuring Max, a talking 1964 black VW Beetle. The television spots showed Max having casual conversations in a talk show setting with well-known pop icons including supermodel Heidi Klum…certainly got my attention! That being said, did I run out a buy my own VW after seeing those ads? Absolutely not. (Then again, I may not exactly be their target audience.)
Crispin certainly helped elevate VW to a new level of ‘coolness.’ Unfortunately, to be cool is often to be niche. And when your job is to market a brand that is dependent on the mainstream masses, coolness alone just isn’t going to cut it. And that’s precisely where Crispin missed it with VW.
Admittedly, VW has an ambitious goal when it comes to sales – tripling U.S. sales volume within the next 10 years. The marketer was smart enough to realize that in order to hit that lofty mark, it needs an agency that is more focused on results and the bottom line than on producing breakthrough creative that does little more than generate water cooler buzz. After all, VW’s bread-and-butter has traditionally been a more mainstream, Passat- and Jetta-driving crowd rather than the younger, hip, “lives and breathes” social media crowd that Crispin’s work appealed to. At the end of the day, Crispin’s work just wasn’t selling ENOUGH cars.
Looks like coolness alone just ain’t that cool.
LINKS:
Ad Age: Domination Wanted: VW Dumps Crispin in Bid to Triple U.S. Sales
Ad Age: VW, Crispin Split Despite Increase in Market Share
I am glad your driving point was the failure to go towards a niche market; especially since it is a young and broke market.
I think that they got too caught up with the MTV pop-approach and celebrity endorsements, rather than focus on the fact that they make killer cars.
They have clean, modern looking cars; a great history; and a loyal buying group. They should have gone after them rather than seeking the younger crowds since they do not have the money to buy these cars, at this point.
I think that if they wanted to use a niche approach, they should have used the first beetle and go after the generations seeking that “freedom and love” that the seventies brought the U.S. I think that is would have been a great way to connect that 70s generation and ours, since we are going through similar crazy ass times.
I am not sure how political an agency should get, but I think that using footage from protesters (from both sides of the argument) from the 70s and today with the VWs sitting in the background would have been a cool way of connecting with those niche markets. (If that is what the company wanted to do). Say something like: “We were there then, and we’ll always be there.” I would have enjoyed a campaign like that; again, if they were going after younger generations.
But ultimately, advertising their already respected product is the best way to sell cars in the short run.
I wholeheartedly agree with your comment,”I think that they got too caught up with the MTV pop-approach and celebrity endorsements, rather than focus on the fact that they make killer cars.”
As Emmy and 28 time Clio winning composer and sound designers, now working out of Boca, I had the pleasure of working with Roy Grace and subsequently other agencies on many accounts including the original VW projects, which boosted their car sales in a creative, and clever manner reaching buyers of all ages, not just the 20 to 35 group. Same thing happended with Arnold, Boston who also lost touch with the consumer.
FW
The writer of http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com has written a superior article. I got your point and there is nothing to argue about. It is like the following universal truth that you can not disagree with: Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright before you hear them speak. I will be back.