HERNDON, Virginia — Volkswagen is launching a campaign in the U.S. media for its new Routan minivan. Brooke Shields will be the spokesperson for the ads — and VW is rolling out a virtual "Baby Maker" game that lets players create their own virtual infants and send out birth announcements, presumably so they can picture themselves behind the wheel of a minivan.
Volkswagen of America Marketing Vice President Tim Ellis issued the understatement that the ad campaign "challenges traditional conventions surrounding the minivan category." In radio, television and Internet advertising, VW will tout the Routan BabyMaker 3000, which starting late this month will use image-uploading features to let Web site visitors "create their own Routan baby," or in VW's words, "bundle of kilobyte joy."
"Every day in our country, more and more people are having babies simply for...the love of German engineering," intones Shields in a faux-serious documentary. "Even reverse vasectomies."
Perhaps would-be Routan owners should create more than one virtual baby: The van seats seven, after all. It has a 197-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine and will be available with an optional 4.0-liter V6 making 251 hp. The seven-passenger minivan has the traditional three rows of seating, plus two 9-inch video screens and up to 21 different seating configurations. It's priced starting at $24,700.
What this means to you: Another classically quirky ad campaign from Volkswagen, master of the art. — Laura Sky Brown, Correspondent
Volkswagen of America Marketing Vice President Tim Ellis issued the understatement that the ad campaign "challenges traditional conventions surrounding the minivan category." In radio, television and Internet advertising, VW will tout the Routan BabyMaker 3000, which starting late this month will use image-uploading features to let Web site visitors "create their own Routan baby," or in VW's words, "bundle of kilobyte joy."
"Every day in our country, more and more people are having babies simply for...the love of German engineering," intones Shields in a faux-serious documentary. "Even reverse vasectomies."
Perhaps would-be Routan owners should create more than one virtual baby: The van seats seven, after all. It has a 197-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine and will be available with an optional 4.0-liter V6 making 251 hp. The seven-passenger minivan has the traditional three rows of seating, plus two 9-inch video screens and up to 21 different seating configurations. It's priced starting at $24,700.
What this means to you: Another classically quirky ad campaign from Volkswagen, master of the art. — Laura Sky Brown, Correspondent
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