My personal thoughts, views and thinkpieces on insight, innovation, communication, consumer trends and brand development within the wonderful world of consumer marketing
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Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Interesting initiative by Volkswagen - The Fun Factor Theory
Innovative communication initiatives are certainly interesting and this one is a very clever initiative by Volkswagen Group. It's called The Fun Factor Theory and is a unusual campaign to promote Volkswagens environmentally friendly car programme Blue Motion. The Fun Factor Theory is based on three different ads where it is proved that you can easily change the pattern of behaviour by making ordinary, and perhaps a bit boring things a bit more fun.
The campaign has been a success so far by being the most spread and talked about campaign on social media. Personally I think it is an incredibly clever and interesting innovative by Volkswagen. It also proves that Volkswagen understands the power of social media when it comes to building awareness and brand stature.
For those english speakers out there. The film that I've added to this post is just one of the three films. It's called the Pianostairs. The films shows the transformation of a staircase at a Stockholm tube stop - from boring, ordinary staircase to fun pianostairs. And the text says: Can you get people to walk the stairs by making it more fun? Then you see the transformation in people as they walk the new stairs. This is followed by text: 66% more people chose to walk the stairs. Fun can change behaviour - we call it the Fun Factor Theory.
Fantastic! Fun makes the ordinary, extra ordinary with the intervention of play into a regular day. The interactive musicality adds 'art' as sound is a powerful, creative force, music even more so with its emotionality, and participation. You are a necessary part of the experience. In fact, it's you having the fun!
ReplyDeleteThe stairs made into a giant piano, reminiscent of Tom Hanks at FAO Schwartz in the movie 'BIG,'along with the sound of the keys, returns us instantly to our innate inner child with our sense of play and wonder that springs forth from a slight adjustment: turning the apple cart upside down.
Who knew a stair climb would be so much fun! Even, preferred!
My surprise? Learning that Volkswagon was behind this powerful interactive communication. Vunderbah!
Shelley Hainer
Founder, Bamboo Jacket
interactive experiential fun!