Volkswagen Transporter fitted Jason Statham and the Deutscher Mediapreis into its award-winning payload

How much can a Volkswagen Transporter carry? If Jason Statham is in the driver’s seat, the vehicle fits Germany’s top marketing prize in the back. Winning the Deutscher Mediapreis for “Media-Idee Social Media” and the Internationalist Award (Gold) confirmed that Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge found a way to reach craftsmen and fleet managers by joining their conversations. 

In a groundbreaking collaboration between Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge, OMG FUSE, and inStreamly, we proved that B2B marketing doesn’t have to be “business as usual.” Because 39% of Twitch users are over 30 and many work in trade jobs, Volkswagen replaced standard commercials with a model where the brand participates in the stream alongside the creators.

A high-octane association: the “original” Transporter

To anchor the campaign, we brought in the ultimate face of professional precision: Jason Statham.

As the star of high-stakes action cinema, Jason Statham is the definitive “Transporter.” While film fans might associate him with various luxury sedans, this campaign gave him the vehicle that actually matches his “get-the-job-done” reputation.

However, his presence was not merely a celebrity endorsement; he was the catalyst for a sophisticated, multi-layered interaction that unfolded across seven unique creative directions, ensuring that the message evolved as quickly as the streams themselves.

Navigating the “anti-ad” architecture of the gaming world

The Twitch audience is a unique tribe defined by a fierce loyalty to authenticity. They possess a built-in “cringe-detector” for traditional, disruptive advertising that ignores the culture of the platform. For Volkswagen, the goal was to bypass this resistance by becoming a native participant in the experience. The campaign’s main slogan, “Sag Auto. Der Transporter antwortet,” perfectly captures that angle.

Reaching craftsmen and fleet managers on Twitch sounds like a contradiction, until you realise that’s exactly where they spend their evenings. So we didn’t need to make the Transporter louder, we needed to make it more relevant. When Jason Statham responds at the right moment inside a stream, an ad format turns into a talking point. That’s the new currency of B2B marketing

Niklas Timmermann (Director Immersive Brand Experiences, OMG Fuse Germany)

Instead of forcing viewers to pause their entertainment, the campaign was woven into the fabric of the broadcast. It was designed to respect the flow of the game, celebrating victories and acknowledging defeats alongside the streamer. This shift from “interruption” to “participation” allowed the brand to build genuine rapport with a demographic that usually prides itself on ignoring ads.

• AI Voice Recognition (VRM): Our AI “listened” to the live broadcast. Whenever a streamer mentioned keywords like “Auto,” “Fahrzeug,” or “Transporter,” a dedicated creative was triggered. Jason Statham “responded” in real-time, making the brand a participant in the streamer’s story.
• Gameplay Reactions (GRM): The campaign reacted to the emotional highs and lows of the game. Whether a streamer was starting a match in Fortnite or securing a victory in League of Legends, the Transporter was there with a contextual message tailored to the moment.
• Dynamic Variety: By rotating multiple setups and artworks, we eliminated “ad fatigue.” Even during long streams, the content felt fresh, surprising, and relevant.

To amplify the reach, we partnered with top-tier German creators including Rumathra, Sologesang, and Rohat, integrating the Transporter into the biggest communities on German Twitch.

Data that confirmed a cultural shift

Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge gave us the space to challenge what B2B media can look like, and that’s where the real value of this campaign sits. Twitch, AI-driven contextualisation, and a creative idea built around Jason Statham, none of this would have worked without a client willing to leave the safe path. The Deutscher Mediapreis is the industry’s confirmation that the bet paid off.

Anja Keller (Managing Partner, PHD Germany)

The industry recognition from the Deutscher Mediapreis was mirrored by a significant impact on the audience’s mindset. With nearly 1.9 million total views, the Brand Lift Study (BLS) conducted across three research groups confirmed a massive shift in brand perception:

Metric	Growth (Percentage Points)
Ad Recall	+14pp (Significant impact vs. control)
Brand Consideration	+9pp (Directly influencing purchase intent)
Brand Recognition	+5pp (Strengthening top-of-mind awareness)
Gaming Fit	+6pp (Validating the Twitch strategy)

 

Most notably, Ad Recall saw a 14-percentage-point surge, proving that when a brand engages in a real-time conversation, it leaves a lasting imprint.

Delivering the future of B2B marketing

The success of the Volkswagen Transporter campaign has set a new benchmark for the automotive market. By combining the star power of Jason Statham with AI-driven contextuality, FUSE and inStreamly proved that B2B brands can thrive in the world of live streaming.

The Deutscher Mediapreis jury recognized what the viewers already knew: that the new Transporter 2025 is a brand that knows exactly where its audience lives, works, and plays.