The automaker will premiere two 30 second spots featuring the 2012 Passat and the 21st Century Beetle during the 2nd and 4th quarters of Super Bowl XLV—the second consecutive year it has advertised during the big game after a nine-year hiatus. The ads will showcase two new vehicles months before they arrive in dealerships this fall. The ads are via AOR Deutsch LA and follow the 2010 Punch Dub Super Bowl spot, which starred Stevie Wonder and comedian Tracy Morgan.
Kicking off months before the cars are available, these spots are part of an effort that includes television, digital, experiential, and retail activations throughout the year. Throughout pre-launch, Volkswagen’s spots/integrations will include The “Oprah” Show, the NBA Finals, The NFL, among others.
In the Passat ad, Volkswagen adds “Star Wars” to the mix. Accompanied by John Williams’ “The Imperial March,” the spot features the most infamous villain in the galaxy, a pint-sized Darth Vader, who uses the Force when he discovers the Passat in the driveway. The two brands leverage humor and the Star Wars score to create an emotional spot.
In “Black Beetle,” creative emulates a photo-real lush kingdom where the Black Beetle rules, runs, navigates and out performs all the other creatures. It’s an homage to some of the greatest car chase scenes in the history of film and TV. With the song “Black Betty,” rerecorded by Jon Spencer and the Blues Explosion, the Beetle ad revs to life even though it does not feature any actual images of the car.
Immediately following the Bowl, Volkswagen will ignite a digital and social media campaign, including an ESPN mobile takeover, VW.com blog, and Facebook activations, as well as a YouTube homepage takeover for the recently launched walk-around webisodes “Inside the VW Academy.”
