
● Section 01 / The Brief
In 2018 And 2019, Volkswagen South Africa Partnered With One-Eyed Jack To Launch The New Polo Vivo With The Interactive VivoNation Festivals.
The events, held at The Container Yard in Johannesburg, were designed to appeal to a 20-something audience by celebrating their freedom and optimism in a fun, spontaneous environment.
● Section 02 / Approach
The brief was to create a unique launch that reflected the target audience's confidence. The strategy involved building a "city" from the ground up — both virtually and physically.
A gamified microsite drove the pre-campaign while the physical event was built by rearranging over 100 shipping containers into a unique festival layout. The objective for the second year was to exceed the high expectations set by the first.
● Section 03 / Outcome
Experiential Launch: The unique venue, built from shipping containers, provided a gritty, urban backdrop that resonated with the target market.
Engaging Activations: Lip-sync karaoke inside the new Polo Vivo, a drive-in cinema, speed-mingling, and a thrilling autocross track where professional drivers drifted between containers.
High-Impact Entertainment: A curated lineup of top South African artists — AKA, Sho Madjozi, Sjava, Kwesta, and Black Motion — performed on a world-class stage, creating an electric atmosphere.
Overwhelming Positive Feedback: The Polo Vivo launch trended for two solid days. Attendees praised the event as "coolest event ever," "insane venue," and "world-class festival" in thousands of tweets.
● In Closing
Two years of VivoNation proved that a car launch could become a destination festival — built from raw infrastructure, anchored in local culture, and shared across a generation's social feeds.
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