VW's confusion games
The German automaker is running some pretty quirky commercials in the U.S.
The German car manufacturer is advertising in the USA with some pretty weird commercialsBy Thérèse BalduzziFor the launch of the new Passat model in the USA, Volkswagen is relying on a campaign in which there is plenty to laugh about. It is based on the idea that the new car model looks much more expensive than it is and that its owners are therefore victims of money-grabbing criminals and fraudsters.
"It only looks like a million bucks" is the tagline of the new Passat campaign, which includes TV and radio commercials, print ads, a website and direct mail. The first of the three 30-second spots, "Ransom", begins with a Passat driver who has parked his car in front of a house wall. As he tries to walk away with a bag in his hand, a blue van speeds up. Masked men get out, grab the man and drive off. After a short time, they come back, let the man out again and apologize: "Sorry, our mistake." The kidnappers have now realized that the Passat driver is not a millionaire.
In the commercial "Whiplash", a fraudster tries to extract money from a Passat driver using an age-old trick. He parks his old, dented car behind her new Passat and starts accusing her of causing the dents. When he realizes that she is not intimidated, he waves a policeman over. As he continues to put on his show, a crowd soon forms around the scene.
In "Fund Drive", an ambitious principal encourages a hall full of primary school pupils to collect as much money as possible in as little time as possible by selling sweets. The winner wins a visit to an amusement park. The horde of schoolchildren streams out of the school building and - in slow motion - converges on a Passat driver, giving him a good scare.
In the print ads, the same idea is continued with a different twist. The Passat is placed in luxurious surroundings where it fits in perfectly visually, but is "unmasked" by the titles. One subject shows the Passat in a trendy, upscale neighborhood next to a woman walking her poodle. The headline reads: "More upper than crusty", a play on words with the term "upper crust" (the upper ten thousand), "The new Passat, starting at an understated 21800".
With the new Passat at the latest, etiquette is due
The website www.vw.com is all about the new features of the redesigned Passat. However, it also provides rules of etiquette on how to behave in the company of wealthy people, in which Passat drivers will unexpectedly find themselves.
"The goal of the ad is to tell loyal VW fans that it's possible to own a very cool car without having to blow their budget or their down-to-earth values. If certain people think you're filthy rich, why not play along?" says Alan Pafenbach, Creative Director at the Arnold Worldwide agency in Boston, which is responsible for the campaign. Volkswagen is enjoying great success in America and is the best-selling European car brand.
"It only looks like a million bucks" is the tagline of the new Passat campaign, which includes TV and radio commercials, print ads, a website and direct mail. The first of the three 30-second spots, "Ransom", begins with a Passat driver who has parked his car in front of a house wall. As he tries to walk away with a bag in his hand, a blue van speeds up. Masked men get out, grab the man and drive off. After a short time, they come back, let the man out again and apologize: "Sorry, our mistake." The kidnappers have now realized that the Passat driver is not a millionaire.
In the commercial "Whiplash", a fraudster tries to extract money from a Passat driver using an age-old trick. He parks his old, dented car behind her new Passat and starts accusing her of causing the dents. When he realizes that she is not intimidated, he waves a policeman over. As he continues to put on his show, a crowd soon forms around the scene.
In "Fund Drive", an ambitious principal encourages a hall full of primary school pupils to collect as much money as possible in as little time as possible by selling sweets. The winner wins a visit to an amusement park. The horde of schoolchildren streams out of the school building and - in slow motion - converges on a Passat driver, giving him a good scare.
In the print ads, the same idea is continued with a different twist. The Passat is placed in luxurious surroundings where it fits in perfectly visually, but is "unmasked" by the titles. One subject shows the Passat in a trendy, upscale neighborhood next to a woman walking her poodle. The headline reads: "More upper than crusty", a play on words with the term "upper crust" (the upper ten thousand), "The new Passat, starting at an understated 21800".
With the new Passat at the latest, etiquette is due
The website www.vw.com is all about the new features of the redesigned Passat. However, it also provides rules of etiquette on how to behave in the company of wealthy people, in which Passat drivers will unexpectedly find themselves.
"The goal of the ad is to tell loyal VW fans that it's possible to own a very cool car without having to blow their budget or their down-to-earth values. If certain people think you're filthy rich, why not play along?" says Alan Pafenbach, Creative Director at the Arnold Worldwide agency in Boston, which is responsible for the campaign. Volkswagen is enjoying great success in America and is the best-selling European car brand.
