Volkswagen Champions Real Drivers Personal Connections in Home Movie Style Film

Volkswagen and adam&eveDDB are launching a new brand platform to celebrate the enduring role of the Volkswagen brand in the lives of their drivers and fans.

The new platform, ‘YourWagen’ stems from the Volkswagen brand name, literally meaning ‘people’s car’, and commemorates the love and emotional connection that drivers from all walks of life have for Volkswagen cars. YourWagen is set to be adopted on a global level and reach audiences in multiple markets from summer 2024.

The brand platform launches with a TV campaign of the same name, showcasing the scale and intensity of Volkswagen fandom, through real-life car love stories of Volkswagen owners. Championing the people that make the Volkswagen brand special, the campaign aims to demonstrate that “Without the Volks, there is no Wagen”.

The hero 60-second spot, illustrates the central role a Volkswagen car plays in the lives of so many, vividly brought to life through a series of family archive snapshots, home movies and specially-shot footage, all set to the 1970s hit ‘Thank You for Being a Friend’ by Andrew Gold. 

The diverse array of Volkswagen owners and how they use their cars include the ‘MumsWagen’, ‘NansWagen’, ‘SnoozeWagen’, ‘WalkiesWagen’ and ‘HolidayWagen’, while Volkswagen cars feature in key life moments such as weddings and raising a family, with ‘StagWagen’, ‘WeddingWagen’ and ‘TripleTroubleWagen’. The film ends with the key message ‘YourWagen’. Without the Volks, there is no Wagen’. 

Exploring the heart-warming stories that demonstrate the brand’s iconic status, the campaign exclusively features real Volkswagen drivers recruited from across the UK via recruitment agency Six Minutes. The campaign was created in genuine collaboration between Volkswagen and its fans, with drivers being involved from the early-stages of creative development. As part of the campaign, Volkswagen tells the deeper stories of their fans’ relationships with their cars, across social and digital in partnership with Tribal. 

The campaign is running across TV, VOD, social and owned channels until June 30th, with a second burst to follow later in the year.  

The UK TV ad, directed by Finn McGough through production company Dark Energy Films, breaks on May 4th in the UK. Media was handled by PHD and Tribal developed the online experience and organic social creative. 

Sarah Cox-Thornley, head of marketing at Volkswagen UK, said, “This new brand platform is special. We’ve involved our customers and fans from the very start and worked with them to create something that we feel is truly unique and collaborative. It’s something that other brands simply couldn’t do and taps into the breadth and depth of our fanbase. Hearing some of the stories about customers and their cars has been a really wholesome experience and demonstrates how Volkswagen has always been, and will always be, an inclusive brand – that’s why it is the people’s car.”

Sam LeCoeur, chief client officer at adam&eveDDB, said, “Volkswagen has been a jewel in the crown of DDB for over 60 years, and we couldn’t be prouder of the work we’ve done together on this campaign to help reignite the love for this brilliant brand.”