“With Walkinshaw Station, we knew we’d capture the attention of ute enthusiasts."
Imagine a place where wild utes roam, where expert handlers capture them and harness their raw power, turning beasts into thoroughbreds. Well, that place is Walkinshaw Station, where Volkswagen Amaroks are engineered to become the only ute reared for the road.
The Amarok V6 W-Series is a collaboration between Volkswagen and performance tuning house Walkinshaw.
The integrated launch, created by DDB Group Sydney, unfolds like a tourism campaign, showing Walkinshaw Station not as a theme park or polished racetrack, but as its own world, the first and only of its kind.
“With Walkinshaw Station, we knew we’d capture the attention of ute enthusiasts," Volkswagen Australia national marketing and product manager Nick Reid says.
“But the new Amarok V6 W-Series ute is designed for the road and drives like a grand tourer. So ute-owners and car drivers alike can imagine what it would feel like to get behind the wheel of a vehicle that performs like a thoroughbred.”
The exclusive utes are converted into W-Series in Clayton, Victoria, with the addition of features including custom 20-inch alloy wheels, Pirelli Scorpion tyres, performance-tuned suspension, and new aggressive styling.
The flagship edition started with a presale in February, with Volkswagen selling 48 of the vehicles within six minutes.
“Amarok has a long history of challenging ute category norms in Australia. That started with the Naked Ute and was built upon with the Too Powerful for TV campaign," DDB chief creative officer Ben Welsh says.
“The W-Series is the epitome of this attitude, because while every other ute company focuses on going off road, the Amarok goes against the herd with a ute that loves the road.”
The W-Series launch is an integrated experience. The TVC is supported by an augmented reality digital element with the ute’s features ready to be inspected up close.
There is also a website, walkinshawstation.com, featuring extra content and even a gift shop.
Volkswagen partnered with publisher Broadsheet on the merchandise: Amarok-inspired beef jerky, and hats.
The premium content series with Broadsheet will go live in June, documenting the artisans’ creative and production process, and the Amarok W-Series’ role in it.
“The partnership with Broadsheet is a great platform to make Walkinshaw station feel more tangible for consumers," PHD group business director Kim Raicevich says.
"It will provide the new Volkswagen Amarok W-Series with the ability to create excitement and a deeper engagement around its launch, and add impact in a highly competitive segment.”
Credits
Client: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Product: Amarok
Title: Walkinshaw Station ‘Reared For The Road’
VOLKSWAGEN COMMERCIAL VEHICLES:
National Marketing and Product Manager: Nicholas Reid
Product Marketing Manager: James Thompson
Marketing Communications Manager: Michelle Rowney
DDB:
Chief Creative Officer Australia: Ben Welsh
Chief Creative Officer Sydney: Tara Ford
Chief Strategy Officer: Fran Clayton
Executive Creative Director: Matt Chandler
Creative Director: Tommy Cehak
Creative Director: Tim Woolford
Senior Art Director: Elaine Li
Senior Copywriter: Jared Wicker
Creative: Miguel Gadea
Planning Director: James Davis
Managing Partner: Nick Russo
Senior Business Director: Nicole Drabsch
Business Director: Luke Thistleton
Business Executive: Rasheida Cooper
Head of Integrated Content: Renata Barbosa
Lead Senior Producer: Tania Jeram
Senior Print Producer: John Wood
Creative Partner (DDB Tribal): David Jackson
Group Business Director (DDB Tribal): Kenny McLeod
Project Manager (DDB Tribal): Sebastian Bennett-Leat
Business Manager (DDB Tribal): Alasdair Kay
Senior Business Manager (DDB Track): Harrison Schaap
Social Manager: Mo Komolafe
Head of Design: Ramon Rodriguez
Senior Designer: Paul Jansen
PRODUCTION COMPANY: REVOLVER
Director: The Glue Society
Managing Director/Co-Owner: Michael Ritchie
Executive Producer/Partner: Pip Smart
Executive Producer: Jasmin Helliar
Producer: Cathy Rechichi
Director of Photography: Danny Rulhmann
2nd Unit DOP: Alex Dufficy
Drone: Heliguy
Production Designer: Sam Hobbs
Wardrobe: Sandy Burcul
Casting: Toni Higginbotham Casting
Stills Photographer: Milos Mlynarik
Post Production: The Glue Society Studios
Editor: The Glue Society
Post Producer: Scott Stirling
Grade: Andy Clarkson
Online: Viv Baker
Sound Engineer: Myles Lowe, Song Zu
Music: Franklin Rd, Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper
MEDIA AGENCY: PHD Sydney
Media Planning Director: Amie Wills
Media Investment Manager: Christine Chen
Media Head of Strategy: Mitch Long
Media Business Director: Dixie Garcia
