Since 2018, Volkswagen had been striving, through new launches, to position itself at the same level of innovation as its competitors. In 2023, on its 70th anniversary, an opportunity arose: the unveiling of its first electric-cars. But the year began with aggressive sales challenges. In this scenario, the client's request was to create content to spread (mainly) on social-media with an ambitious goal: to reestablish an emotional connection between Volkswagen and Brazilians.

But there were also many objectives combined:

-To celebrate VW’s 70th anniversary in Brazil,

-To say that each Volkswagen carries with it the innovation and quality of the previous generation of VW cars;

-To introduce the 1st VW electrics in Brazil, to show the current line and the classics cars that became part of the culture;

-To do all that while showing the current line of cars and also the classics ones that became part of Brazilian culture.

The perfect blend of nostalgia and innovation. To bring together the past and present, and to represent the quality and innovation that’s passed down to every generation ov VW cars, we gathered two singers from different generations. An encounter between Maria Rita, an award-winning singer, and Elis Regina, Maria Rita's late mother. We chose the song “Just Like Our Parents”, a Brazilian anthem released in 1976 by Elis, which remains popular to this day. The song talks about the relationship between past and future, and says: 'the new always comes,' which is precisely what we needed to present from Volkswagen, a brand with a relevant history but always innovating, looking towards the future.

And they sing together, while driving side by side. All that, interspersed with nostalgic scenes, very present in Brazilian culture. Showing cars that entered popular culture, (Beetle, Brasília, etc.), and also the models form the current fleet.

The PR strategy capitalized on Elis Regina's cultural significance to evoke emotion and connection with Brazilians, while emphasizing Volkswagen's legacy and innovation. The key message conveyed how each VW model inherits quality from past generations. Targeting a broad demographic of Brazilian adults over 18, the campaign aimed to resonate with individuals and organizations alike. Assets, including a duet between Elis Regina and her daughter Maria Rita, were strategically distributed through organic channels, such as events, WhatsApp, and media outlets, to maximize reach and engagement.

The commercial was shot with an actress that resembled Elis Regina, and Elis' face was meticulously crafted using deepfake technology and superimposed in post-production.

Elis' original voice in the song was preserved while Maria Rita provided a new instrumental arrangement and new vocals for the duet.

The film was released on July 3, 2023. First released on WhatsApp. Right afterwards, it was releases on YouTube and social media (everything organically). Paid media was introduced only a week later, when the full 2-minute version was aired on TV. The commercial spread throughout the country like wildfire. Due to its overwhelming success, the client did not continue the media investment they had planned. For all the goals have already been beaten and extrapolated. MTV selected the commercial to be shown as a music video on MTV HITs what exemplifies its innovative execution and impactful scale.

These are the results from the first week, alone. Before any media spending:

-Viral sensation, over 24 hours in the #1 trend topic (X, YouTube, Google)

-Over 50.000.000 organic views (excluding WhatsApp, its primary channel)

-Over 2.000.000.000 impressions (that’s almost 10 for each Brazilian)

-The highest organic engagement in Brazil's advertising history (even the first-lady shared it spontaneously);

-To summarize: it generated the highest volume of conversations in the brand’s history.

After all that, VW made sales leader within two weeks, a feat unseen in 10 years. And closed 2023 as the fastest-growing auto brand.

The campaign also generated:

- Substantial media coverage with over 2,200 publications across official portals, TV, and newspapers,

- Earned media value exceeded 20 times the investment, showcasing exceptional ROI.

-Perceptions of Volkswagen as an innovative and culturally integrated brand were enhanced | + 15% increase in perception of "Innovative Brand" going to 84% | + 28% increase in "Brazilian Brand" going to 64%.

-It entered people's conversations. On all social-networks, we observed duets, reaction videos, and a plethora of content commenting on the campaign, and even questions about the use of artificial intelligence. Even the Elis family, who loved the campaign, was invited for many interviews.

- Coverage tone was overwhelmingly positive (88% positive, 10% neutral), successfully communicating the message.

-Significant improvement in brand equity and reputation scores, underlining restored confidence and trust in the brand.

But, again, did you read that it generated the highest volume of conversations in the brand’s history?! :O