This is a great use of interactive technology, and user engagement. VW has launched a new site to promote the new Golf R that allows visitors to create their own movie featuring the new car. The premise is pretty simple. You make car noises, and the site builds a video based on them from a series of prerecorded clips.
Working with Michael Winslow the man of 10,000 sound effects, the trailer is pretty compelling. The YouTube video directs you to the site where you can create your own experience and then share it through all of the standard social media channels and at http://rrr.vw.com as well. It’s a pretty fun concept, and watching the peoples expressions as they make the car sounds is a riot.
I’m not a golfer. I don’t own clubs and I can’t even remember the last time I was on the fairway or even at a driving range. It doesn’t mean I don’t like the game, it just isn’t in the forefront of things I do. If you are a golfer “GAME”, which has managed to raise 127,000 in funding on indigogo is probably something you are going to want.
GAME is a dynamically connected product that tracks, maps and records your round of golf automatically logging each stat. The wearable device connects to your smart phone or computer allowing you to review the entire game and improve skills. In addition it is socially aware allowing you to share your results with social network giants like Facebook and Twitter. GAME records every club you use, every swing you make, and calculates the key stats for each including your scoring, the number of putts, greens in regulation, driving accuracy and more.
The device is the brainchild of Galway, Ireland, John McGuire and a small team of engineers. The physical design of the product is by Yves Behar which gets extra points from me.
There are a couple of things that struck me when I saw this video on YouTube. First it’s a great use of Augmented Reality to advertise the thrifty nature of the VW Electric Golf. Second, it is how absolutely Western the setting, and people look. The Chinese people, not the token white guy in the video.
I know there is a huge fascination with western culture in China, and especially all things American, but Ogilvy Beijing and Ogilvy Hong Kong took it to a new level by using only English language titles in the Augmented reality application, and by making the only place the application functions a café that feels like a cross between an Apple store and a Starbucks.
The Augmented Reality app “Electric Café” from Volkswagen, was setup to educate and inspire people in China about how energy efficient the VW Electric Golf actually is in comparison to other electric appliances they use every day.
The café is peppered with AR markers on each of the appliances that are in the Café space.When an iOS device is pointed at any of the markers the AR experience comes to life and shows a comparison between the appliance, and how far you could drive the Golf based on the amount of juice that appliance uses in a day. It’s a pretty clever idea, and one that I wish I knew more about that strategy behind. I’d be really curious to see what the thinking was behind the very western execution of this.
By the way, is it just me, or do all of the people in this video look like they were just plucked out of some mid-western shopping mall in America.
If you are an auto enthusiast you probably know the name “Chip Foose”. The guy is a legendary auto designer that specializes in customizing cars. If you have ever seen the TV show “Overhaulin”, then you have probably seen Chip sketch out his designs by hand the old school way. I have to say this is one of the reasons I’m a fan of this guy. He has a great style, and his 25 years behind a pen shows.
The video below was created by Volkswagen to help introduce the 2012 Golf R to America. It is really nice short film featuring Chip doing his thing as he reminisces about his VW Golf. This little film features some really nice camera work and lighting. Even if you aren’t a car nut it’s worth a watch. Great visuals, nice mellow soundtrack, solid editing and color grading. Totally worth 2 minutes of your time.
Modular 4 