The company that famously urged consumers to “Think Small” is now urging them to “Think Blue.”
Volkswagen Canada is using Earth Day as the backdrop for the Canadian launch of “Think Blue,” a global corporate social responsibility initiative that debuted last year in its native Germany.
The Canadian effort is being led a 30-second TV spot created by Toronto agency Red Urban. “Globe” shows a partially deflated planet Earth slowly inflating.
The spot will debut on English Canadian TV networks on Earth Day (April 22) and will run through the following week.
It is being supported by a dedicated web site that offers similar fuel-saving tips such as removing excess weight from the trunk or using low viscosity oil.
Volkswagen has introduced several innovations to its vehicle line under the “BlueMotion Technologies” umbrella, which seeks to cost-effectively reduce vehicle CO2 emissions and pollutants.
Volkswagen claims 40 models with maximum CO2 emissions of 140 grams per kilometre, but manager of public relations Thomas Tetzlaff said that consumer behaviour is key to continued reduction.
“Nobody wants to be taught or spoken at, but we also realized that most people know this stuff – they just need to be gently reminded about it,” said Tetzlaff. “They’re little things, but we’re of the opinion that a lot of little things add up to really big things.”
Tetzlaff said that where North American automotive marketing has focused on fuel economy dating back as far back as the 1960s, the focus in Europe has shifted over the past decade or so towards carbon emissions.
“If you pick up a copy of a European car magazine and you take a look at the legal fine print at the bottom, it always lists CO2 emissions because it’s such a big issue over there,” said Tetzlaff.
