Volkswagen
have launched a new range of technology called the VW Side Assist. It has been
designed to take the strain off the driver when changing lanes by complementing
both the exterior mirrors and the driver's method of glancing over the
shoulder.
The
Side Assist uses two radar systems placed at the rear of the vehicle to warn
the driver of danger. The system scans up to 50 meters behind the vehicle and
the blind spot either side of the vehicle. It is activated by pressing a button
and will only work at speeds above 60 km/h.
Side Assist then
signals the driver if any vehicle is within the critical zone for a lane
change. The Side Assist will notify the driver regardless of whether a lane
change is in progress or not. When a vehicle is in the critical zone the system
alerts the driver by switching on a light on the exterior mirror on the side
that hosts the potential danger. If the driver continues to indicate despite
the light having switched on, the light then becomes brighter and begins to
flash rapidly so as to draw further attention to the potential danger.
To gain awareness,
Volkswagen launched a humorous print campaign using many well-known doomed
events such as Hannibal Lecter, the Trojan Horse and Bonnie and Clyde. The
print ad simply states "see things before they get dangerous",
implying that the situation could have worked out differently if these people
had seen the danger before it occurred. This is to mirror the Side Assist which
will allow for fewer accidents on the roads through allowing drivers to see the
dangers before they happen.
Volkswagen combined the print advertisements with a viral campaign using YouTube's already existing frame-by-frame technology. When watching the video the public is probed by a man standing on the pavement to place their mouse on a specific point of the YouTube play bar. A frame then pops up illustrating a second man falling from the sky, the man on the pavement seeing this then steps to the side to avoid the impending danger. This clever use of YouTube's resources allows Volkswagen to display, in an innovative and budget friendly way, the principal behind Side Assist.
On a personal note, I
feel that while the campaign is very clever and draws attention to the new
product, it neglects to fully explain how the technology works. In a cluttered
market, is it enough for Volkswagen to use innovative advertisements to grasp
the target audiences attention? Or must there be a factual component to the
advertisement, highlighting how the technology functions?
