Think small, or why VW’s self-ironic, subtle advertisements have become advertising legends.

After World War II, VW had a huge image problem – the historical connections with the Nazis. While they were launching their classic Beetles on the American market, which meant trying to sell them in the region with a large Jewish minority… well, the task seemed impossible. That’s why the creative employees of the DDB advertising agency went completely against the existing advertising trends (the beginning of the cooperation dates back to 1959). They bet on minimalism, irony, and a smart, surprising message.

„Remember Those Great Volkswagen Ads?” is a documentary filled with the adverts as well as conversations with their authors. It summarizes the creation of one of the most iconic advertising campaigns of the 20th century – in the industry commonly known as Volkswagen “Think small”. The documentary can be viewed below:

 

Documentary: Remember Those Great Volkswagen Ads?
Direction: Joe Marcantonio
Production: Dial M Films
Time: 0:18:33
Year: 2016

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