• by Tanya Gazdik , April 3, 2024

Volkswagen is collaborating with Warner Bros. on an effort tied to "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.”

Volkswagen International, Volkswagen Japan, Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment co-produced short-form content for social media featuring the ID.4 mode. 

Branded content company Portal A was behind the creative, production, talent, and post-production for the series. 

The three clips feature a behind-the-scenes view of the movie set and use subtle, light-hearted humor. Japanese actress and social media sensation Chikako Fukuyama, best known for her role on the Japanese reality show “Terrace House: Aloha State,” is featured in the custom content series.

In one clip, "Coffee Run,” Fukuyama is shown using the VW ID.4 to fetch a coffee order for the set, with strict instructions not to disturb the film’s star — Kong. The actress is able to quietly drive around the sleeping giant on the set thanks to the stealthiness of the always-quiet electric vehicle.

The series is being released across Volkswagen and Godzilla x Kong's social channels.

The collaboration is “all about feelings, and emotive storytelling,” says Imelda Labbé, member of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management responsible for sales, marketing and after-sales.

“As well as all the fast-paced monster action, the film has plenty of playful and heartwarming moments that really speak to us at Volkswagen,” Labbé says in a release. "We collaborated closely with our Volkswagen Japan team on production to take the all-electric ID.4 closer to a broad group of customers in Japan and fire their enthusiasm for sustainable mobility.”

Volkswagen is forging other partnerships in the film industry as part of its new brand positioning. Recent collaborations include "Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir – The Movie" from ZAG and Mediawan Kids & Family; Marvel Studios' "Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania;" and the Disney+ Star Wars limited series "Obi-Wan Kenobi," "Andor," and "Mandalorian."