NEWS: Volkswagen puts Edelman behind the wheel in ‘affordability’ drive

by LEXIE GODDARD, PR Week UK 08-Mar-96

Volkswagen has turned to Edelman Public Relations to tackle public perceptions that its cars are too expensive.

Volkswagen has turned to Edelman Public Relations to tackle public

perceptions that its cars are too expensive.

The agency won the pounds 90,000 fee contract to handle the PR slice of

Volkswagen’s ‘affordability’ campaign over a collection of agencies not

normally seen as motoring specialists including Pielle Public Relations.

The public programme will run alongside the car company’s current

television and press advertising campaign by BMP DDB Needham which uses

the tagline ‘Surprisingly Affordable Prices’.

Volkswagen is claiming its models have improved in price and

specification over the past 18 months and a surge in sales of 25 per

cent has been achieved. But research conducted by the car company showed

that the car-buying public still perceives its products to be more

expensive and less well specified than they actually are.

According to Edelman account director Christina Smedley, the agency is

planning to launch a ‘huge’ consumer media campaign to highlight

affordability.

She said tactics will include profiling people ‘who look ordinary on the

outside but have done extraordinary things’ and testing people’s

perceptions of what is affordable.

Volkswagen head of press and public relations Paul Buckett said: ‘The

goal is a clear one and we are confident of results that will translate

into extra sales.’

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