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NEWS
Unable to beat Greenpeace, Volkswagen joins them
An enviro pariah for its reluctance to reduce emissions, Volkswagen has effected a remarkable turnaroundVolkswagen has called on no less an environmental force than Greenpeace to underscore its announcement it will reduce its cross-lineup fuel consumption to an average of 95g/km by 2020.
Following talks in Hanover last week with Greenpeace Chief Executive Director Brigitte Behrens, Volkswagen CEO Dr Martin Winterkorn (pictured) emerged to reiterate to media the company’s commitment the target.
“I guarantee that we will do everything in our power to reach carbon dioxide emissions of 95 grams without any reservations,” he said in a statement. “However, this will only be possible if customers accept our advanced alternative powertrains. This is of course our objective.”
If you detect a spot of hesitancy and wriggle-room in there, it won’t come as any surprise that this is not the love affair of the century. By Volkswagen’s own admission, it’s taken a “constructive and in some cases also confrontational dialogue with Greenpeace” to reach its expressed target.
Back in 2010, the company was describing the 95g-by-2020 target as “...the result of a political decision... not based on sound impact assessment nor on a realistic appreciation of the costs and technical progress necessary to meet the goal within the timescale...”
It was part of a concerted campaign by Europe’s largest auto maker to lobby against the setting of such targets. Greenpeace responded on YouTube with a spoof on the company’s Star Wars-themed TV commercial for its Passat, first aired at great expense during the 2011 Super Bowl.
Volkswagen had YouTube pull the ad, but not quickly enough. With more than two million views, the intended damage was done, giving Greenpeace more than half a million names to serve up on a petition protesting against the company’s stance. After what the group described as “thousands of activists” donned storm trooper gear for street and dealership protests, Volkswagen backed down and went into consultation.
What has followed represents a remarkable turnaround by a company with no shortage of marketing smarts. Under the auspices of Strategy 2018, the comprehensive guideline document it’s using in its pitch to supplant Toyota as the world’s number one carmaker, Volkswagen has repositioned itself as the world’s greenest car company in the making.
Greenpeace’s Ms Behrens was encouraging – in a neutral kind of way – following the talks. “This is a decision in favour of climate protection and a key signal for committing to the protection of the environment and society and the series production of climate-friendly technical solutions. We will remain in dialogue with Volkswagen, also as regards mobility concepts for the future.”
For a company now engaged in a concerted pitch for the mantle of World’s Greenest Carmaker, Volkswagen couldn’t find a more valuable brand associate than Greenpeace. Expect to see lots more material containing these two names between now and 2018.
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Written byJeremy Bass
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