Wk 1 EOC: Volkswagen Lemon Ad

The well-known Volkswagen car ads of the 60s used a strategy that comprised a game of risk mixed with simple satire, a combination that ultimately ended in success. The ads gained instant popularity with the public and this strategy worked out very well for the VW brand, “Their game of turning seeming faults into benefits was a major hit, and left the other car companies so far in the dust they never really caught up.” The German car brand used the tactic as way of drawing attention using honest humor and simple imagery to reach existing and potential customers. The ads were created by the Jewish operated agency, with the great Bill Bernbach leading the creative department, this created a buzz in the industry because of the damaging history behind the German Nazi and Jewish peoples. The ads though simple were thought out and executed brilliantly and this made the ads successful, “Beetle ads, connected with consumers on an emotional level, while conveying a product benefit in a way consumers could relate to. Plus, the ads were breathtakingly simple.” The raw honesty conveyed through the ads grabbed people’s attention because they could relate to the imagery and humor. The Volkswagen brand became a big name in the auto industry and the Volkswagen Beetle was a big seller. “It changed advertising forever. It also introduced America to what would become one of the most loved and respected brands of all time: a brand that stood for quality, honesty, and a commitment to its customers.” The direction the ad agency went with the Volkswagen ads was a game changer and possibly the smartest move an ad agency has ever made, being open and honest with the costumer about the product and it’s benefits while instilling some humor to help the customer remember the brand.