Volkswagen goes on food tour with The Daily Ketchup in first-ever Asia podcast campaign

German carmaker Volkswagen has taken listeners on a food tour in its new podcast campaign, following the launch of its All-Electric ID.4 car electronic vehicle (EV) in Singapore. 

Marking the brand's podcast advertising debut in the Asian market, the campaign aims to reach consumers interested in EVs while addressing the prevalent issue of "range anxiety". "Range anxiety" is the concern that an EV won't have sufficient charge to complete its journey.

It also aims to enter "Singapore Longest Test Drive", a relay in the Singapore Book of Records that tests the distance of hybrid and EV models. 

Don't miss: You can now add comments to your favorite Spotify podcasts

In partnership with podcast company Acast, the campaign featured hosts recording an episode while crisscrossing Singapore in the ID.4, showcasing the vehicle’s range in a relatable and engaging manner. 

To bring the project to life, Volkswagen leveraged Acast's creator network and partnered with podcast The Daily Ketchup to go on a food tour. The podcasters mapped out a driving route to taste hokkien mee at four different hawker stalls, bringing them to four corners of the city in a single day.

During their visit to the Geylang Lor 29 hawker stall, the podcasters were joined by Dr Kurt Leitner, managing director of Volkswagen Group Singapore.

With over two decades of experience in the auto industry, Leitner discussed the design of the ID.4, how range anxiety is becoming a thing of the past in Singapore, and his personal preferences for hokkien mee.

To amplify the campaign even further, episode cutdowns were promoted on Instagram and TikTok.

“We've always believed that commercial work doesn't detract from good content; it empowers and enables us to innovate. Typically confined to our podcast set, this branded content allowed us to take our show outdoors, adding a fresh and dynamic element to our format," said Daniel Lim, co-host of The Daily Ketchup. 

In a creative twist, Lim composed a ballad for Volkswagen. This ballad, affectionately dubbed “The Volkswagen Song” by fans, was featured as a sponsored post on The Daily Ketchup’s YouTube channel, further enhancing engagement.

“We are very pleased with the success of the campaign. Our first automotive feature with The Daily Ketchup team surpassed our expectations in terms of viewership and engagement metrics. The positive feedback highlights the significant impact of our campaign, with a 55% lift in brand awareness and 114% lift in purchase consideration," said Isabela Pascu, head of marketing and communications, Volkswagen Group Singapore. 

"Our episode with The Daily Ketchup highlighted the importance of localisation for a successful campaign. We value our partnership with the podcasters and look forward to future collaborations. Podcasts, with their on-the-go and on-demand format, will remain a key component of our advertising strategy moving forward," added Pascu. 

The campaign was done in collaboration with Omnicom Media Group's branded content agency, DRUM.

"We wanted a fresh approach to launching the ID.4 that appeals to drivers and non-drivers alike, and we found that a podcast not only puts us in the space of a broad outreach, but also offered the opportunity to tailor content that is meaningful to both the brand and, importantly, the audience," said Andrea Teo, content director, DRUM. 

"This being Volkswagen’s initial foray into podcasts and the first on-road podcast episode with The Daily Ketchup, we are pleased to see it achieve such great success," added Teo. 

Earlier in April this year, Volkswagen Group Singapore created an EV city to celebrate the car launch of its Škoda and CUPRA models in the little red dot. 

Titled "Volkswagen Electric City", the milestone event aligns with the brand's global commitment to sustainability through electrification technology.

The commitment also extends to education about greener technologies in vehicles to empower consumers to make informed decisions. 

It opened to the public on 11 May and featured activities such as postcard making, coaster workshops, photobooths, food trucks and vendor booths selling plants, pet treats and accessories. 

Picture courtesy of The Daily Ketchup/Youtube

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