-Volkswagen Precision Parking Advertisement-
1. Describe the advertisement in detail and how the business implemented the four P’s to add value and/or promote the product or service.
{ Scroll to bottom to see advertisement }
This Volkswagen Precision Parking advertisement came up just as I was researching on the internet for another class. It was one of those pesky ads that got through my ad-blocker. However, it did grab my attention! It was a cute little porcupine sitting in the middle of a line of three clear bags with goldfish in them. Down in the bottom corner it said, “Precision Parking. Park Assist by Volkswagen.”
The four “P’s.” Price, Product, Place, and Promotion. Starting with price, other than the mere simplicity of the advertisement, it did not really go into price. However, goldfish are not an expensive breed of fish, and they are swimming around in clear plastic bags. For product, I would say they are trying to convey that they are special. The advertisement could have showed different kinds of flashy fish of different colors, but Volkswagen is trying to make the point that they are different, will stand out, and are better than the rest. The place is simplistic: a plain white floor. This gives the power to the viewer. The viewer can fill in the whiteness with their own imagination. The viewer sees the whiteness and, through their own mind’s eye, sees their typical work parking spot, their home street parking, or the busy street parking in front of their favorite coffee shop. Their promotion is great. The idea that their own vehicle is a porcupine squeezed in between fragile plastic bags with living fish in them gives the viewer a sense of trustworthiness that Volkswagen is reliable and will not hit other vehicles.
2. Describe the target market (ie. what segments are being targeted)? How do you know this is the target market? Did the company make good decisions to reach the target market?
The target market is mainly to the younger generations. The whole idea of Precision Parking is not only a new thing, but it is also just a hard thing to wrap your mind around. “Can technology really do all that?!” The older generations just would not trust this kind of recklessness. I can hear the older people already… “What? You are letting that car drive itself?” Yikes… And I don’t blame them. It seems too good to be true to me also. But I, for one, would probably be quicker to accept this crazy technology than my grandma. Therefore, I also think Volkswagen made the right choice in making the younger generations their target market.
3. Does it work? Why or why not? Any general observations?
Yes, this obviously works!!! If it stuck out to me enough to remember to blog about it later, I am sure the ad stuck out to others too. The fact that I am writing a whole blog on the one picture goes to prove that it is working. I do not have any additional observations, but I do really wonder how they were able to stage this picture. It would be so cool if it were a real staged picture and that the porcupine would just sit there. Basically, I really liked this advertisement. It is eye-catching, cute, funny, and gets the point across. Nice job, Volkswagen!
Andrea Wollman's Marketing Blog 