VOLKSWAGEN

VOLKSWAGEN

Hear the word Volkswagen and what comes to mind is sitting behind the wheel of a classy car... Wind blowing your hair through the rolled down windows... Music blaring through the car and all you have ahead of you is miles of empty road stretching ahead, waiting for you to conquer it...

This and a lot more was what the smart, handsome Bishwajeet Samal, the Vice President of Marketing, Volkswagen India, allowed us to dream about for a couple of hours one rainy afternoon. With a charm that made you desire for a Volkswagen at that very instant, he presented Volkswagen as a brand that caters to premium customers, fulfilling most desires a car-owner may dream of. Good-looks, speed, mileage, sustainability, technology, safety are just some of the characteristics that describe Volkswagen cars. And it's not just the cars that Volkswagen adds its innovation to, its marketing and advertising strategies too, that have a touch of the classic Volkswagen mark. Innovation is Volkswagen's second name, which was aptly proved by Mr. Samal, who presented the various communication strategies that Volkswagen has come up with over the years. From the extremely creative talking ad, to the hole-in-the-paper ad, to changing the otherwise stringent rules of the Times of India and going "Blue", Volkswagen has broken many stereotypic rules of marketing and has set new frontiers in advertising for automobile companies. And not only does Volkswagen deal with selling their cars to the masses, but they are also actively involved in environmental-friendly projects. The 'Think Blue Beetle' and 'Green Environment' projects are some superb initiatives on their part.

With a lot to learn from Volkswagen's marketing strategies, Mr.Samal left us wanting for more... Both a Volkswagen car of our own and to be a part of such creative strategies sometime in the near future.....

Leaving you with one of the cutest ads for a personal favorite of mine - the Beetle - I sign off tonight dreaming of a bright yellow Beetle with me behind the wheel!!!! 

AND THE BEETLE IS BACK!!!!!!

- NAIRITA GHOSH