IMC EP 04| Thato Lekgetha: Why VW Chose Stories Over Scripts #businessofinfluence

<p>PUTTING A BRAND IN FRONT OF PEOPLE IS NOT MARKETING. MAKING THEM CARE IS.In this episode of the Business of Influence IMC Series, hosted by Leroy Marc, Thato Lekgetha, Brand Consultant at VW Group, sits down for a conversation about what it actually takes to market one of the world’s most recognisable automotive brands in a South African market that is more complex, more competitive and more culturally specific than any global playbook can fully account for.The shift that anchors this episode is one every brand needs to internalise. The era of simply placing a brand in front of consumers and expecting attention is over. With influencers, content creators and journalists now sharing the narrative that brands once controlled entirely, the job of marketing has fundamentally changed. It is no longer about visibility. It is about demonstrating real value and genuine utility in a consumer’s daily life, and the brands that have not made that transition are already losing ground to the ones that have.The automotive sector conversation is particularly sharp. VW is navigating intense pressure from Asian competition, rapid technological advancement and a rising cost of living that makes every purchase decision more considered than it has ever been. Thato is honest about what that pressure requires: not control of the conversation but an embrace of its decentralisation, working with the influencers and journalists who are already shaping consumer perception rather than trying to override them.The localisation story is one of the most compelling parts of this episode. VW is a German brand. It is also a South African one, with local manufacturing rooted in the Eastern Cape and marketing campaigns built around real human stories rather than paid actors. The documentary-style approach behind the Golf 8.5 campaign is a case study in what happens when a global brand trusts local authenticity over global formula, and the results speak for themselves.The Night School initiative reframes what purpose-driven marketing can look like at its best. Rather than anchoring an initiative to a product launch, VW built a road safety programme specifically addressing night driving education, a genuine community need with no direct sales agenda attached. That is the kind of brand behaviour that earns long-term loyalty in a way that no campaign ever could.The episode closes with the tensions the industry still needs to resolve. Balancing technical innovation with affordability. Ensuring