Volkswagen Of America Finalizes U.S. Agency Powerhouse

February 17, 2019 by Volkswagen

Johannes Leonardo named as lead brand agency under the WPP umbrella

Herndon, VA — Volkswagen of America is pleased to announce it has finalized the makeup of its U.S. agency powerhouse team built with holding group WPP. The Volkswagen agency team will have Johannes Leonardo as the brand lead, with a hand-picked network of WPP specialist agencies for data intelligence, VW.com, CRM, retail and other key functions for the brand. Johannes Leonardo, together with this broad set of best-of-agency WPP resources will create a bespoke team dedicated to realizing the true potential of the Volkswagen brand. The agency team will be located in New York and will begin work on the business immediately.

'This is a great opportunity for the brand,' said Scott Keogh, CEO and President of Volkswagen Group of America. 'Teaming up with the best minds from Johannes Leonardo—and the creation of this U.S. powerhouse—transforms our marketing approach through a combination of creative excellence and data driven intelligence, and is a crucial step in ensuring our future success.'

'We are honored to be part of a team that will reclaim the soul and confidence of Volkswagen in order to inform a powerful future.' said Jan Jacobs, co-founder and chief creative officer at Johannes Leonardo. Joe Crump, North America region team lead for WPP, remarked: 'Volkswagen has formed a world class team that brings together creative, data, and cutting-edge technology to shape their legendary brand in the US. We feel privileged to be on this mission for Volkswagen.'

In addition to reshaping its go-to-market approach, Volkswagen of America is transforming its product portfolio. In 2019, Volkswagen plans to show its five-seater Atlas Cross Sport mid-size SUV, to line up alongside the popular Atlas seven-seater, and will introduce the all-new 2019 Jetta GLI compact sport sedan. And in 2020, Volkswagen plans to unveil its first long-range battery electric vehicle for the U.S. market, a crossover SUV with the footprint of a compact and the interior space of a mid-size.

About Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc., an operating unit of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VWoA) is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. VWoA's operations in the United States include research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its state -of-the- art manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Volkswagen Group is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. VWoA sells the Atlas, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, e-Golf, Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf GTI, Golf R, Golf SportWagen, Jetta, Passat, and Tiguan vehicles through more than 650 independent U.S. dealers. Visit Volkswagen of America online at www.vw.com or media.vw.com to learn more.

About WPP

---

Trending News

• MotoAmerica And Road America Ink A Multi-Year Partnership Extension
• 1938 Talbot-Lago T150 C Lago Spéciale Teardrop Coupé Headlines a Roster of Early Consignments for the 2024 Broad Arrow Monterey Auction
• Renault Group and Geely announce the creation of leading Powertrain Technology Company, 'HORSE Powertrain Limited'
• SEAT S.A. achieves best sustainability results in its history and reduces the environmental impact of its facilities by 53% since 2010
• Chelsea Truck Company styling package for INEOS Grenadier

---

WPP is a creative transformation company. We build better futures for our clients through an integrated offer of communications, experience, commerce and technology. For more information, visit www.wpp.com.

About Johannes Leonardo: Johannes Leonardo was formed in 2007 when founders Jan Jacobs and Leo Premutico recognized that there is a fundamental shift happening in the way that consumers ultimately engage with brands. Backed by the 'Consumer is the Medium' philosophy coined at the agency's origin, this doctrine has guided their approach to taking on the biggest challenges facing some of the world's most influential brands including VW, adidas Originals, Amazon, EA Sports, and MassMutual. For more information visit: www.johannesleonardo.com.