In May 2026, we kicked off the first-ever influencer-driven campaign for Volkswagen commercial vehicles. With "From California to California" — a 3,400 km long roadtrip — we teamed up with three influencer groups to connect with a younger audience.

Our goal wasn't just to entertain; we wanted to truly inspire and educate the community. To make that happen, we set up 5 country-specific adventures, had the teams share real travel reviews, and showed off the actual benefits of the VW California in a super natural, everyday way.

Instead of just chasing quick views, we focused on building a real, lasting connection with the audience. And it totally worked! The trip racked up over 12.27 million video plays on Instagram and TikTok. Even better, our own Instagram channel, @california_welt, grew by 184% — nearly tripling our following from 4,850 to 13,787 in only a month. 

By keeping the storytelling real and on-the-road, we proved that the best part of any journey is the community you build along the way.