- Client:
- Volkswagen
- What we did:
- Research & Insights, Interaction Design, Communications Design, Customer Experience Strategy, Retail Design, Format Strategy
- Where
- Bullring, Birmingham, UK
- Awards
- Design Week Awards
The Challenge
Once, owning a car was essential; now it's seen as a hassle compared to other forms of transport. For a brand like Volkswagen, that’s a problem. For over 80 years, it was all about the pleasure of owning a car, but now millennial consumers are turning away from traditional dealerships and opting for urban, app-based transport solutions. It was time to rethink the car dealership, find new ideas for new customers and put the excitement and pride back into owning a car.
The Solution
Human stories beat technical specifications. With this insight, we explored ways to remind customers of the joy of car ownership. At Birmingham’s Bullring Centre, we brought to life a new vision for car dealerships, with an engaging, inviting space for customers to connect driving with passions like outdoor pursuits, extreme fitness and travel. Once a customer had reconnected with car ownership, we made the purchase process super-simple – from an initial enquiry to walking away with a new or pre-owned Volkswagen.
Real life relevance
The everyday benefits of owning a Volkswagen are showcased through editorial content on large magazine lightboxes.
Creating retail theatre
Customers are invited to explore the Volkswagen brand and models through a digital wall that mixes objects, film and animation. Arranged on shelves, these objects trigger stories that play out on the wall and encourage interaction with the brand in a playful way.
Get behind the wheel
Customers are put into the driving seat with in-store display models. They can also take a car for a spin from the test drive pod in the Bullring car park.
The human touch
Customers can digitally configure their own car on iPads around a central table while non-commissioned product experts offer side-by-side consultations to help complete their purchase. The result is a simple car-buying process shifting away from the stereotypical car dealership.
