Why Volkswagen is partnering with dog toy brand Kong

If you are a dog owner, chances are you’ve heard of a Kong. But you may not know that the toy was inspired by a Volkswagen bus. Kong was started in 1976 by Joe Markham in a Denver auto repair shop. His German Shepherd, Fritz, had a propensity for chewing on teeth-damaging rocks and sticks, until he found a better chew toy—a snowman-shaped rubber axle stop from a Volkswagen Type 2 Bus, which prompted the start of the Kong line. Now, the automaker and the dog toy company are revisiting their history, this time highlighting the Volkswagen ID Buzz electric bus. The “VW Kong for a Cause,” from Volkswagen’s agency Johannes Leonardo, will give dog owners a chance to buy a limited-edition blue Kong, inspired by one of the color choices for the ID Buzz. “We worked closely with Kong to get that electric blue right,” said Zoe Kessler, executive creative director at Johannes Leonardo. “We even considered a two-tone Kong.” Campaign ads tell an abbreviated story of the brands’ connection and feature a German Shepherd and dozens of Kongs falling out of an ID Buzz. The work will run on digital and social media. The story was one of several that surfaced when Volkswagen and Johannes Leonardo did a deep dive into the brand’s history to celebrate its 75th anniversary of entering the U.S, according to Kessler. Another was bringing Gewürz ketchup—a sweet and spicy ketchup that topped Volkswagens currywurst sausages served in the automakers’ German factories—to the States. The blue Kongs will be available for $13.99 (plus tax and shipping costs) at Volkswagen's DriverGear online store, with net proceeds going to VCA Charities, an affiliate of Pedigree-maker Mars, which helps support a nationwide network of animal shelters through donations. Each Kong purchase will also result in the donation of a Kong to a local shelter. The new campaign falls a few days ahead of National Puppy Day (March 23).

Why Volkswagen is partnering with dog toy brand Kong

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