Der Autostadt And You

Typically when I think of a theme park, I think of places like Disney World and Disneyland. However a recent excursion to Volkswagen's Autostadt has made a new impression on me.

This Autostadt, or car city, is an area in Wolfsburg in which VW has turned an old factory into a tourist attraction of sorts. But this place does not feature roller coasters or thrill rides, but tries to promote its brand and educate people in the advancements in automobile technology.

In one similarity to Disney World, however, VW does feature all of its currently owned brands. These brands showcase their new models as well as their brand objectives all with in one building, similar to Disney's different lands (Adventureland, Tomorrowland, etc.).

We also learned the this location is used to distribute vehicles purchased, which is its primary function. The distribution center delivers about 600 vehicles per day, and people who have purchased a VW vehicle make a trip to Wolfsburg and spend an entire day looking at the pavilions and learning about the different brands of Volkswagen.

The education aspect gives great insight to all age groups. For the children the Autostadt features several locations where kids learn about and create renewable energy vehicles. Another station teaches children all about safe driving and rewards them for learning by giving them a "drivers license" which is then used on a mini driving course.

For the adults, besides seeing new cars that are available there are test tracks for adults to test drive cars on and try all features that are currently available in certain vehicles. The location also features a history museum featuring the development of the automobile.

Overall the place is a great way to personalize the brand with customers (as well as potential customers). One thing I did notice about the place was that there were no major signs promoting any one thing, basically there was no advertising. I thought this was a great idea, they do heavy promotion, but it is subdued and very much a more interactive and involving process for the customers. It allows the customers to view what they wish and skip what they don't. A very innovative place, and they are always looking for ways to improve themselves.