Greenpeace aim to turn VW away from the Dark Side through a fully integrated piece of experiential and digital activity. Top work!

Tuesday, 28 June 2011

This morning on my way in to work (in a taxi because there were NO buses and I was VERY late), I drove past a platoon of twenty or so Storm Troopers. They were huddled around a large van, the back doors of which were open, revealing a large polar bear trapped behind built in bars.

They looked menacing. A few of them stood on knee high black boxes which blared out Darth Vader's Star Wars theme tune, a couple of them had megaphones, and all of them had guns. Laser guns. Which, like the polar bear, weren't real, but added to a general air of menace.

As I approached I noticed a logo on the Storm Troopers armour - an upside down VW sign. The same upside down image adorned the speaker boxes, and the side of the black polar bear prison van. At first I thought this was perhaps some bizarre VW stunt vaguely linking in with their previous ad campaign but overseen by a hapless account exec who had accidentally approved an upside down printing proof, but as the traffic slowed and I got closer I noticed a much smaller team of Greenpeace t-shirted leafleters engaging the public in conversation. My pre morning coffee brain slowly processed the whole scene, and I realised it was actually an anti VW Greenpeace stunt. That explains the promo person with the dreadlocks.

The Old Street stunt was classic Greenpeace. A piece of creative theatre engaging the public, located close to a larger (and more illegal) stunt - in this case the covering of the large 48 sheet brand ads in the centre of Old Street Roundabout, as well as the full building wrap on what used to be the music venue The Foundry, with temporary Greenpeace anti VW campaign banners. A bit of police attention and a bit of a ripple on the internet, including a section in the Metro.

What stands out about this stunt is that it feels well thought out, and integrated. It's part of a wider campaign to shame VW for opposing lower maximum emissions levels in cars whilst simultaneously launching ad campaigns claiming to be one of the greenest manufacturers out there.

The stunt supports a poster campaign as well as a really strong online offering which includes a decent micro-site and a well-produced viral ad spoofing VW's own Star Wars themed slot. And as part of a wider call to action we think it works well. We've all logged on and joined the Rebellion - perhaps it's time you do too.

http://www.vwdarkside.com/en/