Currently, there are relatively few regulations around branded content and entertainment in the United States.

We engineered a brand new Beetle convertible underwater cruiser, and this time, we added ailerons and way more thrusters, so instead of just driving 15-feet underwater on the ocean floor, this shark cage actually FLEW through 60-foot-deep water.

And to get the adrenaline really pumping, we took our Beetle cruiser on a subterranean road trip along one of the most dangerous shark super highways in the world.

We chronicled the entire process in three mini-episodes and loads of bonus content that aired on TV and online.

Viewers even got to sit in the driver’s seat, with a fully interactive experience that allowed viewers to witness the amazing underwater journey, complete with 360-degree views of feeding sharks and actual shipwrecks.

Fans could also access exclusive bonus content on our co-viewing app, and we blanketed the Shark Week digital experience, spurred social conversation and created videos specifically for Vine and Instagram.

Going bigger and bolder paid off, blowing our previous year’s results out of the [shark-infested] water!

The new Beetle convertible launch was a huge hit: we went from selling less than 500 convertibles in 2012 to over 15,000 in 2013!

And our Shark Week campaign helped drive the two biggest sales months of the year.

The campaign not only drove a huge 22% increase in brand familiarity among males 25-34, but metrics for purchase consideration and intent among viewers saw double-digit increases (15-19%) following Shark Week.

Viewers were heading straight for our Beetle content, with VW videos on the Shark Week site seeing higher completion rates than the Discovery.com benchmark.

Additionally, the total number of Twitter followers gained for Volkswagen following the campaign launch was 336% higher in 2013 than the previous year.

The press was talking, with coverage from Fast Company, Business Insider, Extra TV and more.

Meanwhile, the industry has taken notice. Plunging the Volkswagen Beetle into Shark Week storytelling has already yielded numerous accolades, including Adweek’s Media Plan of the Year, two Creative Media Awards, a Gold Cristal Award, an Epica Award, an Internationalist Grand Prix and three OMMA Awards, including best-in-show.