You could probably draw a picture of the original Volkswagen T1 camper van from memory if we asked you to.

It has a cherished place in global culture. But that reverence was a potential barrier to how our target audience may receive the Q2 2022 launch of its 21st-century update, the all-electric ID. Buzz.

However, in Q2 2022, there was something else launching which was a modern take on a global culture phenomenon – Disney+’s much anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

At this point, you may roll your eyes at the prospect of another big entertainment/brand tie-in. Please resist that instinct.

Because what you may not know is that the show’s star, Ewan McGregor, has been collecting Volkswagen Camper vans and electrifying classic VWs for years.

As a much-loved cultural icon being reintroduced to a new generation, Obi-Wan Kenobi not only offered the new ID. Buzz a perfect launch partner, but it also offered the perfect talent partner.

But it would only be perfect if Volkswagen drivers had any interest in Star Wars.

So, we did our homework.

It turned out they felt The Force in a big way:

• Volkswagen intenders are 29% more likely to be Star Wars fans
• in return, Star Wars fans are 23% more likely to buy a VW
• People interested in Volkswagen are TWICE as likely to be Disney+ subscribers

All that remained was to work out HOW to partner the two launches together.

The key to our partnership strategy was to find a way of striking the right balance between the fantasy world of Star Wars and the real-life technology and beauty of the ID. Buzz.

The answer was to create a ‘hero’ ad which created an interaction between the car and Obi-Wan Kenobi characters as actors during a break in shooting.

While droids R2-D2 and C-3PO made friends with an ID. Buzz that was parked in the studio, Ewan McGregor interrupts them by driving the car off the set.

This allowed both brands to simultaneously live in both the real AND fantasy world.

McGregor’s existing passion for Volkswagen cars also saw him signed up as a brand ambassador, a role in which he would participate in ID. Buzz content throughout the remainder of 2022.

To effectively distribute this and maximize reach, a multi-wave approach was chosen to maintain momentum for as long as possible:

1. Broad reach activation

The foundation of the campaign was the hero video of McGregor and the ID. Buzz on set, which would gain reach and get people talking. We’d focus on paid video ad formats on a wide range of channels – starting word-of-mouth and harvesting earned media.

2. Additional deep engagement activations

To extend the campaign spread, deepen its impact, and strengthen the emotional bonding of the target audience, we had to tease and delight with amazing campaign extensions and executions. These would be activated one at a time across different markets to give each enough space to gain full attention dominating the public discussions for a while.