DDB Sydney has unveiled its latest work for Volkswagen Amarok. The Amarok V6 W-Series is a collaboration between Volkswagen and legendary performance tuning house Walkinshaw.
The integrated launch, created by DDB Group Sydney, unfolds like a tourism campaign, showing Walkinshaw Station not as a theme park or polished racetrack, but as its own world, the first and only of its kind.
Volkswagen Australia national marketing and product manager at Volkswagen Australia, Nick Reid, said: “With Walkinshaw Station, we knew we’d capture the attention of ute enthusiasts.
“But the new Amarok V6 W-Series ute is designed for the road and drives like a grand tourer. So ute-owners and car drivers alike can imagine what it would feel like to get behind the wheel of a vehicle that performs like a thoroughbred.”
The exclusive utes are converted into W-Series in Clayton, Victoria, with the addition of features including custom 20-inch alloy wheels, Pirelli Scorpion tyres, performance-tuned suspension, and new aggressive styling. The flagship edition started with a presale in February, with Volkswagen selling 48 of the vehicles within six minutes.
DDB Chief Creative Officer, Ben Welsh, said: “Amarok has a long history of challenging ute category norms in Australia. That started with the Naked Ute and was built upon with the Too Powerful for TV campaign.
“The W-Series is the epitome of this attitude, because while every other ute company focuses on going off road, the Amarok goes against the herd with a ute that loves the road.”
The W-Series launch is an integrated experience. The TVC is supported by an augmented reality digital element, the ute’s features ready to be inspected up close. There’s also a website, walkinshawstation.com, featuring extra content and even a gift shop.
Volkswagen partnered with culture publisher Broadsheet on the merchandise: Amarok-inspired beef jerky, and hats. The premium content series with Broadsheet will go live in June, documenting the artisans’ creative and production process, and the Amarok W-Series’ role in it.
Kim Raicevich, Group Business Director at PHD, the media agency behind the campaign, said: “The partnership with Broadsheet is a great platform to make Walkinshaw station feel more tangible for consumers. It will provide the new Volkswagen Amarok W-Series with the ability to create excitement and a deeper engagement around its launch, and add impact in a highly competitive segment.”
CREDITS:
Client: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Product: Amarok
Title: Walkinshaw Station ‘Reared For The Road’
VOLKSWAGEN COMMERCIAL VEHICLES:
National Marketing and Product Manager: Nicholas Reid
Product Marketing Manager: James Thompson
Marketing Communications Manager: Michelle Rowney
DDB:
Chief Creative Officer Australia: Ben Welsh
Chief Creative Officer Sydney: Tara Ford
Chief Strategy Officer: Fran Clayton
Executive Creative Director: Matt Chandler
Creative Director: Tommy Cehak
Creative Director: Tim Woolford
Senior Art Director: Elaine Li
Senior Copywriter: Jared Wicker
Creative: Miguel Gadea
Planning Director: James Davis
Managing Partner: Nick Russo
Senior Business Director: Nicole Drabsch
Business Director: Luke Thistleton
Business Executive: Rasheida Cooper
Head of Integrated Content: Renata Barbosa
Lead Senior Producer: Tania Jeram
Senior Print Producer: John Wood
Creative Partner (DDB Tribal): David Jackson
Group Business Director (DDB Tribal): Kenny McLeod
Project Manager (DDB Tribal): Sebastian Bennett-Leat
Business Manager (DDB Tribal): Alasdair Kay
Senior Business Manager (DDB Track): Harrison Schaap
Social Manager: Mo Komolafe
Head of Design: Ramon Rodriguez
Senior Designer: Paul Jansen
PRODUCTION COMPANY: REVOLVER
Director: The Glue Society
Managing Director/Co-Owner: Michael Ritchie
Executive Producer/Partner: Pip Smart
Executive Producer: Jasmin Helliar
Producer: Cathy Rechichi
Director of Photography: Danny Rulhmann
2nd Unit DOP: Alex Dufficy
Drone: Heliguy
Production Designer: Sam Hobbs
Wardrobe: Sandy Burcul
Casting: Toni Higginbotham Casting
Stills Photographer: Milos Mlynarik
Post Production: The Glue Society Studios
Editor: The Glue Society
Post Producer: Scott Stirling
Grade: Andy Clarkson
Online: Viv Baker
Sound Engineer: Myles Lowe, Song Zu
Music: Franklin Rd, Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper
MEDIA AGENCY: PHD Sydney
Media Planning Director: Amie Wills
Media Investment Manager: Christine Chen
Media Head of Strategy: Mitch Long
Media Business Director: Dixie Garcia
