Agency: DDB Stockholm

Client: Volkswagen

DDBH Stockholm have come up with an innovative viral campaign for Volkswagen to coincide with the promotion of their "BlueMotion Technologies" range of eco friendly cars. Based on the concept that “Fun is the best way to change peoples behaviour for the better”, the aim of the “Fun Theory” campaign is to convince people that doing the right thing for the environment can also be enjoyable.

Launched at the end of September, the first fun theory project involved turning the stairway of a Stockholm metro rail station into a giant piano keyboard. As a result, 66% more people chose to take the healthier option of the stairs rather than the escalator situated alongside. In the two weeks since the corresponding clip was launched on youtube, it has received over been over 1 million hits.

Two follow up projects have also been launched. The “World’s Deepest Bin” encouraged people to dump their rubbish in the bin by placing a sensor in a bin which plays a comical sound when someone places an item into it. The most recent project is the “Bottle Bank Arcade” which involved a regular bottle bank being transformed into a game by which customers competed to achieve a high score by recycling their bottles.

The clips all contain a call to action in the form of a link to the fun theory website where the public are encouraged to generate and film their own fun theory projects with the person who puts forward the best idea winning over €2500. DDB Stockholm’s Deputy Manager, Lars Axelsson, has said “By making driving and the world more fun, we turn the VW brand into a hero...Our experiments and our Fun Theory films make the world a better and more fun place to live.”

The inherent eco message in the campaign seems to hint at a shift by Volkswagen to promote itself as a “brand with a conscience”. Following in the footsteps of mega brands such as Dove and Toyota, Volkswagen appear to be positioning themselves as a brand that cares about bigger global issues such as the threat to the environment. The fact that such a strategy comes at a time when the company are seeking to infiltrate the increasingly competitive eco friendly car market is certainly no coincidence however.

Regardless of Volkswagens intentions, the novel innovative concept and the subtle inclusion of the logo at the end of the clips of seems to guarantee the fun theory’s success as a viral campaign over the next few months .