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WhatsApp for rally fans – Volkswagen to launch innovative info service at home rally

Quick, comprehensive, informative: stay in touch with the world champions via WhatsApp and Co.
Information, photos, videos and audio files straight to your smartphone
Volkswagen leading the way in motorsport with innovative, professional broadcasts"

WhatsApp from the world champions - as of the home rally in Germany, Volkswagen will offer an innovative information service for all fans of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). News, results, photos, videos and audio files with interview soundbites - the push service ensures that motorsport fans are always up to speed with events during rallies. The WhatsApp social network has had over a billion users since the start of 2016, and more than 40 billion messages are sent via WhatsApp every day. Volkswagen initially launched the service, which incorporates the platforms WhatsApp, Insta and Telegram, for journalists midway through the year and has received very positive feedback.

The second phase now offers fans the opportunity to register for the information services via WhatsApp, Insta and Telegram. They can do this on the Volkswagen Motorsport Internet page (www.volkswagen-motorsport.com), which automatically adapts to all popular end devices to ensure it is optimised for smartphones. A control element guides users through the simple two-factor authorisation. The receipt of messages can be controlled directly from the WhatsApp smartphone apps by sending the keywords "Start" or "Stop". Users are always anonymous in the broadcast lists, but can still contact the Volkswagen Motorsport team directly via the individual chat function.

Private communication - one in ten enjoys chatting to the world champions

As well as the extremely fast supply of information in a text message format, these individual chats are one of the top features of this service. They allow fans and journalists to contact the team directly. Any communication is always anonymous. Unlike on social networks like Twitter and Facebook, chats take place privately rather than in public. This prompts greater involvement from the user. So far, roughly one in every ten users has taken advantage of this opportunity.

Free choice for fans - three combinable lists available

Fans can combine three distribution lists as they wish. Volkswagen offers a choice between the lists "Essential", "Emotional" and "Additional" in WhatsApp, Insta and Telegram. "Essential" provides a short overview of the result and overall standings after each special stage in the World Rally Championship, as well as quotes from works drivers Sébastien Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen as audio files, and interesting statistics. "Emotional" sends photos and videos straight to the smartphone. "Additional" provides information on articles and news worth reading from the world of the WRC. As such, every user can configure their own personal information service - and can modify it at any time.

A tradition of innovation: Volkswagen the technical pioneer

Volkswagen Motorsport is one of the first providers in sport to offer a direct service via WhatsApp, Insta and Telegram. Volkswagen's Motorsport department enjoys a long tradition of innovation: the car maker was one of the first to offer a dedicated app for smartphones and a website adapted for various end devices (responsive design).