Volkswagen announced a name change to “Volkswagen” to underline its shift towards electric vehicles, before denying it was an April Fool's joke. The marketing attack was aimed at highlighting the company's ambitions as a leader in electric vehicles, while ironizing its past linked to “Dieselgate”.
German carmaker Volkswagen caused a stir on Monday when it announced that it would be changing its name in the USA to “Voltswagen of America” to mark its shift towards electric power. The name, inspired by the voltage unit “volt”, was intended to highlight the group's ambitions in electric mobility.
The company even issued a press release and modified its Twitter account to make the announcement official. It was widely reported in the media, and a spokesperson confirmed the news. However, on Tuesday evening, the situation was turned on its head: the announcement was in fact an April Fool's joke, brought forward by several days. The group quickly denied it, explaining that it was a hoax.
Despite the confusion, the name change didn't seem totally far-fetched. Volkswagen has ambitions to be the world leader in electric vehicles, with a goal of surpassing Tesla as early as 2025. This announcement would have been a way of supporting this strategic shift, especially after the controversies linked to the “Dieselgate” scandal.
The incident is not a first for Volkswagen, which has already pulled off daring communication stunts, such as in 2003 when it temporarily renamed its home town, Wolfsburg, to “Golfsburg” for the launch of the Golf.
Source : 20min
