Volkswagen takes ‘New Auto’ strategy to TikTok

MANILA: Volkswagen's metamorphosis into a tech firm is accompanied by a TikTok channel called "newauto," which is the Group's strategy title. This is Volkswagen Group's debut on the popular video platform. The channel's creative and interactive videos showcase Volkswagen's historic transformation to the future mobility world, which it is driving forward with its New Auto strategy.

Infotainment on topics such as decarbonization, circular economy, battery and charging, automotive software, and autonomous driving shows Volkswagen's way to the future — towards emission-free, autonomous, and more individual mobility than ever.

In a statement, Volkswagen Group Digital Communications Head Michael Manske said, “We are experiencing the biggest transformation in the history of the car. That means new business areas and disruption. To promote trust in New Auto, we also want to reach the digital, environmentally conscious Generation Z. Instead of saying: strategy is too complex for a platform like TikTok, we are simply going ahead and trying it out — with infotainment.”

By joining TikTok, the Group is gradually becoming a producer of owned content. The videos will feature Volkswagen employees as TikTok creators, with authenticity as the major goal.

The group is boosting direct interaction with its target groups by growing its presence on international web platforms. The strategic goal is to reach the key target groups in the European, American, and Chinese markets. Interaction on Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, and TikTok in Europe and the United States, as well as on Weibo for the Chinese market, has been developed and expanded in the past 12 months.

Over one billion people visit TikTok every month to be entertained, to learn, or to discover new things. The leading platform for short mobile videos gives brands the opportunity to reach target groups that are hard to reach on other platforms. Rather than glossy videos, the focus is on humor, authenticity, and originality in order to reach Gen Z and millennials, as well as the fast-growing 25+ group at eye level.

Car enthusiasts on TikTok are tech-savvy. In a study by GlobalWebIndex, 77% of car-enthusiast users claimed they were interested in technology. Environmental issues were also important to 51.9% of respondents.

TikTok also enthusiastically reimagines traditional work-related content and presents it with an engaging and humorous touch. A study by ifopBase in 2021 revealed that 40% of TikTok users want to watch videos taken "behind the scenes" of a business.

Photos from Volkswagen Group

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