Volkswagen Brazil has taken product placement to new heights with the launch of its most ambitious campaign to date, “Arrivals,” created in partnership with Netflix and AlmapBBDO. Featuring the newly launched SUVW Tera, the campaign marks the first time a single vehicle stars across multiple Netflix series and a film, including Money Heist, Wednesday, Cobra Kai, The Witcher, and Persuasion. Entirely filmed in Brazil, the campaign weaves the car into iconic storylines with stunning authenticity and cinematic flair.
This collaboration is Netflix’s first multi-story campaign in Latin America, a strategic and creative leap that merges entertainment and advertising in a way that feels organic, immersive, and utterly modern. Rather than a simple product placement, the Tera becomes a character in its own right, embodying speed, style, and innovation.
“The Volkswagen Tera is arriving in the role it was meant to play: a star of great stories,” said Livia Kinoshita, Marketing Director for Volkswagen Brazil and SAM. “This campaign connects the most important launch in Volkswagen Brazil’s recent history with millions of people across different worlds and audiences in a refreshing, authentic, and surprising way.”
The ad films, set within the universes of each show, showcase the Tera’s dramatic entrances—from courtroom chaos in Wednesday to high-stakes heists and beauty emergencies. With each appearance, the car takes center stage, reinforcing the campaign's tagline: “Just from the entrance, you can tell it’s an icon. Introducing the Volkswagen Tera. A new icon for your new era.”
The concept was brought to life with Netflix’s global creative team, ensuring that the essence of each series was respected and accurately portrayed. With content from three different countries, the campaign drew on international insight to deliver authenticity for fans across the globe.
“This wasn’t just product placement,” emphasized Fernanda Guimarães, Netflix’s Brand Partnerships Director. “It was a collaboration between creatives at AlmapBBDO, Volkswagen, and our team. We worked together to help brands tell new stories and capture audience attention in a way that’s culturally and emotionally resonant.”
Volkswagen’s Ciro Possobom, President and CEO of Volkswagen Brazil, echoed this vision. “The Tera’s launch is one of the boldest strategies we’ve executed. From its Carnival debut at Rock in Rio 2024 to this Netflix campaign, we’ve aimed to embed the Tera in the cultural fabric of Brazil and beyond.”
Indeed, the Tera’s journey began with a teaser at Rock in Rio, where it was hidden behind an LED curtain, followed by a Carnival parade in Rio’s famed Sambadrome—making Volkswagen the first carmaker to launch a model during the world’s largest street festival.
The Tera’s public launch at the C6 Fest in São Paulo’s Ibirapuera Park was a landmark moment, quickly followed by record-breaking sales: over 12,000 orders in just 50 minutes during Volkswagen’s “Open Doors” event on June 5, held across 473 dealerships.
The SUVW Tera is not just a symbol of style—it’s also a technological powerhouse. Designed, developed, and produced entirely in Brazil, the model includes exclusive automotive AI features, a competitive price point, and a bold design that positions it as the future of Volkswagen’s SUV line.
“Our inspiration was that epic entrance—the kind that captures all eyes and turns a moment into a memory,” said Francis Alan França and Gustavo Tasselli, creative directors at AlmapBBDO. “Volkswagen has always had icons, like the Beetle and the Gol. The Tera is the next chapter.”
Through Arrivals, Volkswagen has seamlessly embedded its newest icon into pop culture’s most beloved universes. And in doing so, it hasn’t just launched a car—it’s launched a story.
