Volkswagen Group has made its debut on the popular video platform TikTok. This step has been taken by the automaker to promote its NEW AUTO strategy. For those of you who are wondering, VW's TikTok handle is nothing else but the name of its new strategy - "newauto".
"We are experiencing the biggest transformation in the history of cars. 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," explains Michael Manske, Head of CEO & Digital Communications at the Volkswagen Group.
By appearing on TikTok, the Group is increasingly becoming a provider of owned content. The main focus for Volkswagen is authenticity: the videos will focus on employees as TikTok creators.
Car fans on TikTok are very tech-savvy: 77% (globally) said in a study of car-enthusiast users (GlobalWebIndex, Q3 2020), that they were interested in technology (Germany: 61.3%). 51.9% of respondents said they cared about environmental issues (Germany: 42.9%). Volkswagen also strikes a chord with the TikTok community by using employees as creators.
VW Group is continuously expanding its presence on international online platforms and is increasing direct interaction with its target groups. The strategic goal is to reach the most important target groups in the markets of Europe, the USA and China. To this end, interaction on Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, and TikTok in Europe and the United States has been established and expanded within the past 12 months, as well as on Weibo for the Chinese market.
