The naked ute revealed: Volkswagen Amarok unveils integrated campaign via DDB Sydney

The big reveal of the campaign came yesterday when Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles unveiled the identity of the highly talked about Naked Ute - the Volkswagen Amarok.
 
Says Toby Talbot, chief creative officer, DDB Group Sydney: "Australians long held the perception the Amarok was a city ute. We felt the most authentic way to challenge this perception was by stripping it bare and allowing pure performance to do the talking.
 
"We took the Amarok and removed the badges, removed the luxuries and comfort previously synonymous with the brand and put it to the tough test in very rough conditions by staunch critics. You can't argue with that."
 
DDB deputy ECD Cam Hoelter said the agency jumped at the chance to show that a ute engineered in Germany had all that it takes to take on Australia's tough conditions.
 
Says Hoelter: "Blind taste tests have always been used to challenge preconceptions of products in advertising. But never when it comes to cars. So we asked what if people couldn't judge the Amarok by it's cover, but by performance alone would they reconsider what they thought of it?"
 
The Naked Ute is a fully integrated, through the line campaign and was launched via TVC, print and digital as well as a highly successful content campaign delivered primarily through Facebook.
 
The campaign started with a week long teaser period with a stripped back 'naked ute' featuring in a 15" TVC that called on the public to 'Guess the Naked Ute'. This was supported by a promoted social campaign that had separate content whereby viewers were introduced to four Aussie ute lovers who put the "Naked Ute' through its grueling paces. New content was rolled out each day driving traffic to thenakedute.com to vote or view more.
 
Says Ralph Beckmann, marketing manager, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles: "We wanted to really challenge some of the misconceptions around Amarok and develop a disruptive campaign to bring this to life.
 
"We believed many couldn't see beyond the Volkswagen badge and the good looking exterior. So we decided to take it away and the response has been phenomenal. In our first week alone, the engagement far exceeded our expectations and it also showed us that a lot of people know their Amaroks down to bolts, suspension, stance and even the shape of the rear window."
 
The campaign was produced in partnership with The Glue Society/Will O'Rourke with Matt Devine directing the TVCs and Jonathan Kneebone taking on the content challenge.
 
The campaign moved into its full integrated reveal phase on Sunday (January 31) with a 30sec TVC and new social content supported by online and print.

MARKETING MANAGER: Ralph Beckman
PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER: Nick Reid
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS DIGITAL SPECIALIST: Emma Johnson

CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER:Toby Talbot
DEPUTY EXEC CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Cam Hoelter
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR: Jade Manning
SENIOR WRITER: Vincent Osmond
DESIGNER:Domenic Bartolo
MANAGING PARTNER: Amanda Wheeler
BUSINESS DIRECTOR: John Larkin
BUSINESS DIRECTOR: Astrid Noble
BUSINESS MANAGER: Chelsea Riddington
STRATEGIST: Fran Clayton
HEAD OF INTEGRATED CONTENT: Sevda Cemo
SENIOR PRODUCER: Claire Seffrin
DIGITAL SNR BUSINESS DIR: Parker Mason
CONTENT CREATOR: Robert Crispe
SOCIAL CONTENT CREATOR: Liana Rossi
CREATIVE TEC DIRECTOR: Shaun O'Connor
EXECUTIVE DIGITAL PRODUCER: Sora Nobari
SNR DIGITAL PRODUCER: Jdy Lau
DIGITAL PRODUCER:Will Kerr
FRONT END DEVELOPER:Sarah Hawes
SENIOR PRINT PRODUCER: John Wood
SOCIAL COMMS MGR: Salil Kumar

PRODUCTION PARTNERS:
PRODUCTION HOUSE: Will O'Rourke
DIRECTOR TVC: The Glue Society's - Matt Devine
DIRECTOR CONTENT: The Glue Society's  - Jonathan Kneebone
MANAGING DIRECTOR/ EP : Michael Ritchie
EP /HEAD OF PROJECTS: Josh Mullens
PRODUCER: Serena Paull
DOP: Ryley Brown

POST PRODUCTION:
TV/CONTENT EDITOR: Luke Crethar
COLOURIST: Yoomin Lee
POST PRODUCTION CONTENT: The Glue Society
POST PRODUCER: Scott Stirling
TV/VFX POST PROD: Heckler Films
EP POST/VFX PRODUCER: Will Alexander
POST PRODUCTION VFX/TV: Bonnie Law

PHOTOGRAPHY/SOUND:
SOUND COMPANY: Sound Reservoir
CREATIVE/SOUND ENGINEER: Paul Taylor
PHOTOGRAPHY: Janyon Boshoff

LIBRARY MUSIC: AMCOS
LIBRARY MUSIC: AUDIONET