On October 15, ‘09 the Mark VI VW Golf GTI was launched in the US. VW didn’t spend one single cent on print ad, banners or broadcast spots. Instead it created the ‘Real Racing GTI’ game application for the iPhone.

Users shared fastest laps by posting videos on YouTube and an online leader board tracked global player rankings. In the app showroom, there was a gallery of cars and full specs on the new GTI. Using the iPhone’s GPS functions fans could locate the nearest dealer and schedule a test drive. Within days, dealers were reporting sales directly related to the campaign. To keep players playing, a winners circle was created where six limited edition GTIs were up for grabs. Fans were happy and the mainstream media took note. In one week ‘Real Racing GTI’ became the number one app in 36 countries around the world. With over 4.3 million downloads what started in the US quickly became a global phenomenon. http://bit.ly/afzbLl

The overall results? VW reported an 80% jump in leads, test drives and quote requests. Successful by any advertising standards

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