Volkswagen Launches Campaign for All New Routan

Ads Introduce Brooke Shields as Celebrity Spokesperson and Give Call to Action: Have Babies for Love, Not German Engineering

HERNDON, Va. – Volkswagen of America announced today the launch of its campaign for the Routan, the only minivan in America with German engineering. Part of the global brand platform Das Auto, the advertising and marketing campaign rolls out today and includes TV, radio, print and online components and features Brooke Shields as spokesperson.

"This campaign challenges traditional conventions surrounding the minivan category,” says Tim Ellis, Vice President of Marketing for Volkswagen of America, Inc. “Throughout the multi-layered campaign, consumers will meet our Routan spokesperson, Brooke Shields, as she urges parents to have babies for love rather than for German engineering.”

“Like any style and safety-conscious mom, I appreciate the Routan’s German ride and feel, European styling and fuel-efficient power," says actress, author, model, mother and Routan spokesperson Brooke Shields. “Volkswagen gave me quite a fun character to play, doing the Baby Beat on the streets and encouraging parents to have babies for love, not German engineering.”

The campaign breaks today with radio, online and :30 television spots. Print ads with Shields continuing to urge people to have babies for love will follow in October titles such as Everyday with Rachael Ray, Health and Cookie, on newsstands mid September.

The campaign also allows consumers to engage directly with the brand in a unique way with the Routan BabyMaker3000. Launching in late September, this program gives visitors the opportunity to create their own Routan baby. The application utilizes state of the art facial recognition and image output technology to create a photo-realistic digital. The virtual baby will exhibit facial features derived from uploaded photos of the ‘parents.’ Once users create their baby, they can share their little bundle of kilobyte joy with friends and family through social networking sites and email announcements.

Through flash banner ads, consumers will also be directed to visit www.RoutanBoom.org. The Routan landing page on the Volkswagen website will feature Brooke Shields and call attention to the Routan’s German suspension, sleek European design, handling and performance.

The new Routan has been highly anticipated since Volkswagen announced its plans to make it available in the US. The Routan comes standard with a 3.8L V6, offering 197 hp and 230 lbs-ft. of torque. A 4.0L V6 will be available rated at 251hp and 259 lbs-ft. of torque. Routan features German -tuned suspension and steering optimized for handling and advanced driving dynamics. Standard all-season traction control and ESP bring safety and security to the Routan. The Routan comes with a host of sought-after standard and optional features, including: Remote engine start system, power second row windows, towing preparation package with automatic load-leveling rear suspension, power sliding doors, Conversation Mirror, rear seat entertainment system with two 9-inch screens for second and third rows, wireless headphones and remote control, SIRIUS(tm) Satellite Radio and SIRIUS(tm) Traffic data, dual power sliding doors with power windows, touch screen JoyBox TM DVD-navigation entertainment system with 30GB hard drive, remote-operated power lift gate with flood lamp, seating for 7 and up to 21 different seating configurations. Routan carries NHTSA’S 5-Star Safety Rating. Like all 2009 models, Routan comes standard with Volkswagen’s Carefree Maintenance program.

Volkswagen of America, Inc. recently announced Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) as standard equipment on all its 2009 vehicles. As a result, Volkswagen is one of the only original equipment manufacturers to offer an electronic stability control system on its entire product line – ahead of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) deadline requiring vehicles in the 2012 model year to include stability control systems. Volkswagen's ESP technology works in conjunction with anti-lock brakes and helps reduce loss of control and rollovers to avoid crashes. NHTSA predicts nearly 10,000 lives could be saved each year if automakers included stability systems as standard equipment.