Volkswagen Extends DDB’s Global Creative AOR Duties for 3 Years

Volkswagen is extending its contract with Omnicom agency DDB Worldwide as the carmaker’s global creative agency of record. The extended contract will last into 2027.

The partnership between the carmaker and creative shop has lasted 65 years to date, with DDB behind VW’s classic “Lemon” and “Think Small” campaigns, both launched in 1959, and more recent work such as “Let’s Go for a Drive” and “Inside Jobs.”

DDB’s contract with VW ended in 2023, but the agency was given two six-month extensions prior to the announcement.

In a statement, Volkswagen global chief marketing officer Susanne Franz said: “The DDB heritage and their depth of knowledge of the Volkswagen brand is unrivaled, and the seamless introduction and integration of new and existing Omnicom partners will take the partnership to a new level.”

Since 2019, VW has partnered with New York agency Johannes Leonardo for all U.S. creative—a relationship that will remain intact with the new contract. JL recently created the brand’s 2024 Super Bowl ad, “An American Love Story.”

COMvergence tracked Volkswagen’s media spend for 2023 at $2.25 billion, with 55% of that on digital media.

In June, VW announced that PHD, another Omnicom agency, had won its global media account after a lengthy review that was kicked off in 2021. PHD, which was ADWEEK’s Global Media Agency of the Year this year, had previously won the business from Mediacom in 2016 and was competing to keep the account.

According to Glen Lomas, DDB global president and chief operating officer, “We essentially pitched against ourselves to ensure that we were giving VW the very best support that we could assemble … Our philosophy is that any great partnership relies on continually challenging yourself to adapt and be better.”

While the media pitch was for Volkswagen Group, the creative pitch was for the Volkswagen brand only. “The two procurements were handled very distinctly,” Lomas added.

As part of the new contract, Omnicom strategically combined forces from its many international agencies to form a “united global group” representing the best of its global talent. This group, with a Berlin-based leadership team, will integrate with the VW media team at PHD for total account coverage.

Omnicom also plans to expand its offerings with VW to include precision marketing as part of an overhaul of the company’s customer experience and production processes.

“Our ability to prove to an existing client that, after many years, we are the right partner in their transformation is a clear demonstration of our ability to build strong long-term relationships, while continually adding new offerings,” Omnicom CEO John Wren said in a statement.