5 Examples of Car Companies Using Viral Video To Advertise

More and more big companies and brands are turning to social media and viral video as a means of promoting their products, and car companies are no exception. It seems that these days every other week a new viral campaign is being launched by a car company. Read about the video campaigns that have been launched by Volkswagen, Toyota, Kia, Ford and Mini Cooper after the jump.

Volkswagen ‘Fast Lane’ Campaign

Volkswagen has launched a fun new guerilla campaign and they uploaded a few videos to YouTube earlier this month. The campaign includes three parts and asks viewers ‘Are you ready for the FAST LANE?’

Volkswagen went into the city and transformed an elevator, a shopping cart and a subway slide to make the world move a little bit faster. In the elevator clip a sound system turns the ride into a rocket take-off; in the shopping carts clip a few shopping carts are “pimped out” with skateboards to make for a faster shopping experience; and in the slide clip a slide is installed on a long staircase to get commuters to the bottom of the stairs at a much faster pace.

The slide clip is the most popular so far, with just over 171,000 views since it was uploaded on June 11. Check it out below and ask yourself, “What are you driven by?’

Toyota

We’ve covered Toyota viral video campaigns a lot in recent months. The car company has launched a number of video campaigns including the YouTube Small Talk Contest, in which they paired with YouTube to find the cutest kid. The contest ends in just a few days, on June 20. You can currently watch videos that have been submitted on the YouTube Small Talk page.

Toyota also hit it big recently with a viral music video called ‘Swagger Wagon’, a family-themed rap about the new Toyota Sienna. The video has been viewed over 3.6 million times to date.

Mini Cooper Challenges Porsche To a Race

Jim McDowell, the head of MINI USA, challenged Porsche to a race earlier this month via online video. In the video, McDowell asks Porsche President and CEO Detlev Von Platen to meet for a race on June 21, 2010 at Road Atlanta.

Unfortunately, Porsche declined. According to egmCarTech, Detlev Von Platen responded to McDowell, saying “Porsche doesn’t race for fame, stunts or publicity. We race to challenge ourselves; we race to push sports or technology; we race to translate every win on the track to our cars on the road.” Perhaps Von Platen was just afraid that Porsche would lose to a Mini!

McDowell responded with the following video, re-challenging Porsche to a race in which the winner will now receive two Justin Bieber tickets, or a lifetime membership in the salami of the month club, or a collection of cashmere sweaters, or a home gym system. We’ll see if Von Platen will reconsider. Even if the race doesn’t end up happening on the 21^st, I think Mini’s campaign is nothing short of genius.

Ford Fiesta

We also recently covered Ford’s viral video campaign for the Ford Fiesta. In this original campaign, Ford drivers take part in bizarre contests against Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit drivers. Drivers run from zombies, look for a kidnapped puppy, smuggle teddy bears and more. Check out a couple of our favorite videos from the campaign below.

Kia Soul

Over the past couple of months a series of commercials for the Kia Soul features giant hamsters have been spreading on the web like wild fire. The car company also has a YouTube channel where they upload videos on a pretty regular basis. Their latest clip promotes the new Kia Soul phone and it’s excitng apps, which are great for soccer fans. Check out a couple of Kia’s videos below and let us know what you think!

Join Baratunde Thurston (left), The Onion’s Director of Digital and author of How to Be Black, for an entertaining look at creative social media campaigns in our Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting February 16. Other speakers include Morin Oluwole (Facebook), Tim Devane (bitly), and SocialTimes' writer Devon Glenn.   Register now.