Volkswagen of America Announces Agency of Record Will Go Up for Review

HERNDON, Va., Aug. 17, 2009 -- Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced today that they are placing their agency of record assignment up for review. The agency of record is responsible for all aspects of marketing and advertising and is currently managed by Crispin Porter + Bogusky.

"Volkswagen has embarked on a mission to significantly grow our business here in this market. Our goal of rapidly increasing our volume in a mature market requires the Volkswagen brand to evolve into a more relevant mainstream choice," said Tim Ellis, Vice President Marketing, Volkswagen of America, Inc. "The Volkswagen Brand needs to inspire our base of enthusiasts as well as reach out and captivate those in mainstream America. Therefore, we are re-evaluating all areas of our business, and after careful considerations have decided to take the necessary steps to ensure we have the right agency partner in place," added Ellis.

Volkswagen of America's goal of reaching 800,000 sales by 2018 will be accomplished with the introduction of many new and exciting models. The first of these highly anticipated models will be an all-new compact sedan debuting next year. Approximately one year later an all-new mid-size sedan will be manufactured in a state-of-the-art new production facility being built in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Both models have been designed with the specific wants and needs of the U.S. consumer in mind.

Volkswagen at this time has not selected a list of agencies that will be considered. They have contracted with Roth Associates in order to begin the review process.

Ellis noted that Crispin Porter + Bogusky, the incumbent AOR, has been invited to participate in the pitch. Ellis continued, "CP+B is a highly talented and creative agency and we've been very proud of the work they have provided us."

About Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, CC, Tiguan, Touareg 2 and Routan through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2009 Volkswagens come standard-equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program. This is important because the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com or to learn more.