Volkswagen is launching a global marketing collaboration with Illumination Entertainment's hit animated film Despicable Me 4, which hits cinemas this summer. <Despicable Me 4's playful and iconic characters, the Minions, will play a pivotal role in the global campaign, which will be rolled out in each country.
Despicable Me is the highest-grossing animated film franchise of all time, and Illumination Entertainment's uniquely popular series is beloved around the world. Returning after a seven-year hiatus, Despicable Me 4 is a blockbuster that follows the exciting exploits of Gru and his minions as they transform into a team of anti-villain operatives, and has been garnering worldwide attention since its release.
Through this marketing collaboration with Volkswagen, characters such as the Minions from Despicable Me 4 will convey the emotion of the Volkswagen brand in different ways in markets such as Germany and North America. In Germany, the campaign will coincide with the start of Euro 2024 and will feature Minions and German Football Association (DFB) players to promote Volkswagen's new special edition model GOAL.
Special edition models with special edition-only packages such as GOAL lettering and seats made from 100% recycled material The GOAL range comprises 12 electric and combustion engine models from the ID.family, including the ID.3, ID.4 and ID.5, as well as the Golf, Polo, Tiguan, Tiguan, Tigloq, Tigloq Cabriolet and Tigros. The models with the exclusive Edition package are available in Germany for up to €3,700 less than the suggested retail price of a standard model with comparable options.
<The campaign, a team-up between Despicable Me 4 and the German men's national football team, will be launched in time for the film's German cinema release on 11 July. "The friendly and likeable Minions are exactly what we want the Volkswagen brand to be, and their unique humour fits in well with our marketing direction," said Susanne Franz, Chief Marketing Officer at Volkswagen. "This creative campaign from Universal Pictures, Illumination and Volkswagen has the potential to make waves at the European Championships."
In addition to Germany, Volkswagen is also running campaigns with Despicable Me 4 in North America, South America and Mexico, focusing on its flagship SUV models, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will join the global collaboration.
Meanwhile, Despicable Me 4 is set for a domestic release on 24 July.
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