Volkswagen® Basecamp

Industry ®

Manufacturing / B2B

Scope of work

B2B Campaign

Timeline

2021 - 2022

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Campaign Description

The Pros & Challenges of Being Volkswagen’s First-Ever OEM-Approved Aftermarket Wheel Partner

Securing factory-available fitment on Volkswagen’s official Atlas Basecamp package marked a historic milestone, making Fifteen52 the first aftermarket wheel manufacturer integrated directly into VW’s accessory program. While the launch earned massive national automotive press coverage and validated our brand on a global stage, turning factory availability into retail velocity required overcoming a major operational hurdle: dealership promotion. Because traditional VW sales and parts departments were unaccustomed to merchandising enthusiast-focused upgrades, I managed targeted B2B dealer enablement collateral, point-of-sale assets, and digital co-marketing pushes to bridge the gap between national OEM press hype and local showroom conversions.

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Production & Execution

Bridging B2B Dealer Enablement with D2C Pull: The Volkswagen Basecamp Execution

Working alongside our internal sales team and VW Accessories corporate, I designed and executed a dual-funnel strategy to bridge national OEM press coverage with actual sales across Volkswagen’s 600+ US dealerships, prioritizing high-density West Coast hubs. On the B2B side, we authored and assisted with dedicated marketing toolkits, point-of-sale displays, and accessory ordering guides directly to dealerships, building crucial rapport that ensured official Basecamp package orders remained routed through VW’s OEM supply chain while establishing Fifteen52 as their preferred partner for non-OEM custom builds. Simultaneously, we launched targeted digital campaigns dominating search and social across the VW SUV and crossover categories, pairing paid performance media with strategic micro-influencer partnerships in the VW off-road space. This consumer-facing push created strong demand that drove qualified buyers directly into local dealerships specifically asking for Fifteen52 wheels or purchasing custom fitments directly from us online.

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Dealerships Focus

10%

10%

estimated SOV

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Final Outcome

Relationship-First Channel Strategy

Navigating my first direct OEM partnership taught me that structural distribution hurdles aren't roadblocks, they are prompts to diversify how we define and capture success. When factory sales channels presented friction, pivoting to a dual-funnel strategy allowed us to capture value both inside VW showrooms and across our owned D2C channels. It established a blueprint for how I approach enterprise B2B marketing: leading with empathy for dealer operations, maintaining agility under strict corporate compliance, and measuring success across every tier of the customer journey.