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Shoulder-Poking Car Ads

This Campaign Cleverly Promotes the New Volkswagen Side Assist

— June 3, 2013 — Autos
The Volkswagen ‘Side Assist’ is a new feature “that will help drivers see the usual blind spot that drivers have.” The improvement is a wider mirror that will help make “shoulder checks” unnecessary. The improvement is simple, as are Volkswagen’s efforts to get the word out about it.

Volkswagen sent a man out onto the street to tap people on the shoulder and step away. When they look over their shoulder, the unsuspecting people turn around to find no one there. After being poked, the man explains why he poked them, and gives them a card to tell them more about Volkswagen’s Side Assist.’

This trick is nothing new, but it is a clever way to emphasize how annoying it is when you can’t see what’s behind you on the streets.
Trend Themes
1. Interactive Advertising - The Volkswagen 'Shoulder-Poking Car Ads' campaign demonstrates the potential of interactive advertising to engage and surprise consumers.
2. Enhanced Safety Features - The introduction of the Volkswagen 'Side Assist' highlights the trend towards developing innovative safety features that address common driver blind spots.
3. Creative Guerrilla Marketing - The 'Shoulder-Poking Car Ads' campaign showcases the power of unconventional and disruptive marketing tactics to create memorable brand experiences.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive - The Volkswagen 'Shoulder-Poking Car Ads' campaign reveals opportunities for the automotive industry to promote and highlight the advanced features of their vehicles in innovative ways.
2. Advertising - The success of the Volkswagen 'Shoulder-Poking Car Ads' campaign suggests potential for the advertising industry to explore interactive and experiential marketing strategies that captivate audiences.
3. Technology - The introduction of the Volkswagen 'Side Assist' reflects the ongoing advancements in automotive technology, presenting opportunities for tech companies to develop similar solutions for enhanced driving safety.
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