This document presents a communications planning project for Volkswagen to introduce the new 2013 Golf model in the Spanish market. It includes research on the target consumer and competitive landscape in Spain. Quantitative research shows that Spanish consumers do more online research than Americans before car purchases. Qualitative findings suggest that reliability is important to Spanish buyers, and brands like Volkswagen are seen as higher quality but more expensive. The main target consumer is identified as Patricia, a 24-year-old marketing student in need of a reliable car for commuting. The creative brief outlines communicating the Golf's history of fun driving through a customer journey map. Key performance indicators include brand awareness, image attributes, purchase intent and actual purchases.

1. funny.
Rock n’ Roll is back.
Final Project for Communications Planning Crash Course
Skillshare
Joan Collado (@joancollado)
Tutor: Julian Cole
May 2013

2. Volkswagen Golf is the classic VW car. It means youth, power and freedom. It’s always been so.
Every few years a new version is released presenting new innovations, but the brand meaning keeps
untouched.
This presentation will talk about doing a Communications Planning for Spanish Market.

3. Business goals &
strategy
Volkswagen wants to introduce in the Spanish
Market the brand new 2013 Golf edition.
Communications goal
To create a full Customer Journey Map where
the Volkswagen brand is always in touch with
the consumer via cross-channel touchpoints.

4. COLLECTING
CLIENT
INFORMATION

5. Volkswagen Spain has a huge communications structure: from classic TV, radio or print to 2.0 world:
Website, Google Search, Social Media and E-mail.
In Spain, the key touchpoints for consumers are auto dealerships, search engines and friends & family
opinions.
When it comes to communication channels, the challenge right now for VW is definitely Mobile.

6. Volkswagen as a brand as well as car market in general represent the “HIGH INVOLVEMENT - HIGH
FEEL” quadrant in FCB Grid.
When we communicate we talk about sensations, symbols and aspirations. Brand meaning is crucial in
this case, because people not only buy a car: they also buy a concrete lifestyle.
Thus, car market is not only about selling a machine. It’s about playing with momentums.
FCB Grid

7. Researching
customers

8. Quantitative tools

9. Tools used: Quantcast, Google Consumer Barometer, Google Consumer
Survey, Google Search Trends, Think With Google.
Some intesresting info:
- Google Search results (100 = maximum interest):
- SPAIN: 1 – Ford (90), 2 – Toyota (50), 3 – Volkswagen (45)
- USA: 1 – Ford (95), 2 – Toyota (58), 3 – Volkswagen (10)
- Think with Google:
- 3 key touchpoints in Spain:
- Auto dealerships: 67%
- Search Engines: 63%
- Friends and colleagues: 41%
- With 63 percent of new vehicle purchasers beginning their search with a specific brand in mind,
but only 20 percent purchasing the vehicle they first researched online, it’s clear that brand
consideration can be won or lost at any point throughout this loop.
- Over the course of in-market research, search data suggests that 73 percent of in-market activity
involves cross-shopping.

10. Tools used: Quantcast, Google Consumer Barometer, Google Consumer
Survey, Google Search Trends, Think With Google.
- Mobile and video are changing the shopping ecosystem as it's being built.
- “Potential auto customers aren’t ‘shoppers,’ they are owners that bring with them strong brand notions
based on their experiences before, during, and after their last vehicle purchase."
- As the buyer drives off the lot, what is often considered the end of the process is actually just the
beginning of the next sale. Only 56 percent end up as repeat purchasers. What happens to that
missing third and how can you get them back?
- Question: How can we use social, review, and maps channels to get consumers talking about their
experiences?

11. Tools used: Quantcast, Google Consumer Barometer, Google Consumer
Survey, Google Search Trends, Think With Google.
- Google Consumer Barometer:
- Spain does more online research before purchasing than USA (72% VS 58%).
- Spain uses more search engine research before purchasing than USA (60% VS 41%).
- US does more online car purchasing than Spain (12% VS 5%).
- Quantcast (US only):
- Key gender and age: male, 25 – 34.
- VW is famous between hispanic people, as well as Toyota is famous between asian people.
- Ford doesn’t stand out particularly in any feature.
You can check out some screenshots in the .rar archive
attached at my Skillshare post.

12. Qualitative tools

13. Tools used:Topsy, Twitter Adv.Search, Blog/Forums active listening.
Other tools used*: Beer drinking with friends, Playstation gaming, WhatsApp
talking, car riding.
Some intesresting info from Spanish market:
- The most RELIABLE cars are asian (japanese & korean) and romanian. Most valuable brands
are Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, and Dacia. Reliable means low quantity of repairs and
car materials at low prices.
- DESIGN and QUALITY are European brands territory. However, brands like Opel are rejected
for his low reliability, just the opposite as asian brands.
- European cars are also known for their “fun” attractive. People have a better time driving them
than asian ones.
- Volkswagen Golf is seen as an expensive car, but it is also true that the “extra” in the price is
worth paying: Golf means power and quality. It meant it since today’s consumers were children.
- In Spain cars are very important for people’s image. Curiously, until reaching top brands like
Mercedes-Benz or BMW, consumer, instead of selecting a brand for their social image attractives,
rules them by its social “negative” aspects. It is normal to hear people rejecting Ford Focus or
Seat León because “trashy” people (“cholos”, in Spanish) purchases them.
- Spanish people aren’t loyal to their previous brands. They are very sensitive to new trends.
*: Thanks Rob Campbell for the inspiration.
You can check out some screenshots in the .rar archive attached at
my Skillshare post.

14. OUR MAIN
TARGET

15. Patricia Hernandez (24 years)
Patricia is a Master’s Degree in Marketing student from University of
Barcelona (UB). Since she is now finishing her studies, she has
begun working part-time at an important organization. Her problem
is that she lives and studies far from her workplace (because it’s
located outside Barcelona) so she is thinking about getting a car to
move faster.
She doesn’t know much about cars, but he remembers their old
family Seat Málaga. It was a slow, loudy and smelly one Finally,
the car broke up and she had no one to go to class. It hasn’t been
a problem until now because there is the metro.
Now, she wants a good one. Definitely not classic. She wants it to
last years and to make her feel confortable, because from now on
she will have to drive a lot of hours each week. It’s no problem if
it’s not the cheapest one.
She asked her friends and her boyfriend for advice, but it hasn’t
helped too much. Everyone reccomended her different cars
because there are a lot of things one can look for.
It seems Patricia is going to begin a long and personal journey until
discover the car of her dreams…

16. CREATIVE
BRIEF

17. CREATIVE BRIEF
Strategy:
To communicate, through a Customer Journey Map, the new Golf 2013 and transmit the
values ​​that have made it unique.
Insight:
Golf means fun. Other cars can approach it in performance, but Golf has always been the
quintessential compact when it comes to driving.
Brand truth:
Golf is the truly and classic brand compact that combines best quality and power.
Proposition:
“Golf: history, youth and technology”.

18. MAP THE JOURNEY
VISUALLY

20. Key performance
indicators

21. UNAIDED BRAND AWARENESS
AIDED BRAND AWARENESS
KEY IMAGE ATTRIBUTE
KEY BRAND IMAGE ATTRIBUTES
PURCHASE INTENT
PURCHASE