The Brief

Singapore’s hot hatch category is dominated by Japanese and Korean marques. Faster, louder, more powerful are the rule. But for some drivers, speed does not have to be about growling engines and screeching tyres. So when Volkswagen wanted to launch its new Polo GTI, we needed drivers to know that it was different. That it was both playful and fun.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

We set out to give speed a new beat by challenging drivers to a game of fast fingers, set to music. Top Singapore beatboxer Dharni created a high-speed track with the letters P, O, L, O, G, T, I, which drivers had to match in an online game. We set the stage with an unbranded video of Dharni challenging viewers to beat his beatboxing skills. Then we launched our music video of Dharni and the Polo GTI taking the challenge to the next level. Supported by online banners and radio spots, drivers everywhere were led to the online game.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

• Our teaser video shot to over 20,000 hits and was shared on video sites around the world. • Our launch music video quickly got over 46,000 views and caught the attention of 7 international publications. • We scored 20,538 unique visits to our website from 62 countries in just 1 week. • 87% of visitors played the game and shared on Twitter, giving us an extra reach of 19,704 Twitter impressions. • The new Polo GTI sold out in 10 days. • 25 orders were on the wait list after 2 weeks.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

Young people enjoy games like Guitar Hero because they are fast-paced, and lots of fun with great music. In fact, such games have fast become an all-time favourite amongst the young. So we tapped on their popularity to set the tone for the new Polo GTI as a speedy and playful hot hatch.