MEDIA: STRATEGY OF THE WEEK - VOLKSWAGEN PHAETON.

VW is reaching for the stars with the launch of its latest model, Mark Sweney writes.

For the launch campaign of the Volkswagen Phaeton, VW's first luxury car, the company has built its media strategy around the very concept of luxury.

This approach for the Phaeton, as well as that of the recent launch of VW's first luxury 4x4, the Touareg, forms the leading edge of a much larger plan to add a touch of class to VW's image.

'They are two of the most important launches for VW, as we are trying to move the centre of gravity of the brand more upmarket. We don't want to alienate the existing customer base but we want to show that we can provide cars across a complete range of sectors,' Rod McLeod, the head of luxury cars at Volkswagen, says.

Brand differentiation is also an important strand in the Phaeton gameplan.

Accordingly, VW has chosen its media with care. For example, it has eschewed television in order to differentiate the Phaeton from its rivals such as the Mercedes S class and BMW 7 series marques, which are heavily dependent on the medium.

'The campaign touches on a large number of media - we didn't want to just throw millions at television - and, because it is a very targeted campaign, below the line is more important than usual,' McLeod says.