With an eye toward tripling sales in the United States by 2018, Volkswagen of America is pushing aggressively for new market share. But the brand’s most visible promotional activities this year have suggested an apparent — if not openly acknowledged — strategy to win female buyers in particular.
Cherry Chapstik-loving pop singers, haute couture, bargain hunting and Ms. Winfrey are certainly not the sole province of women, but with consensus growing around the central role that women play in household car-purchasing decisions, VW’s recent promotional gambits could be viewed simply as good business.
Tim Ellis, Volkswagen of America’s vice president of marketing, denies the presence of an explicit strategy targeting female buyers. “Female customers are a very important part of our base, but we don’t market exclusively to them,” he said in a telephone interview.
Rather, VW’s recent promotions simply harness the power of nontraditional marketing channels, he said. “Gilt Group members are primarily between 20 and 39 years old, 53 percent of them earn between $50,000 and $150,000, and they really appreciate style and great value,” he said. “The psychographics are right in line with our brand.”
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