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Volkswagen Thwartes Fast-Forwarders With Slowmercial

March 28, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Volkswagen Beetle Slowmercial

Armed with research showing that more than 1 out every 3 Belgians record and watch their favorite TV shows at a later time, and 80% of those choosing to fast forward through commercials, DDB Brussels came up with the ‘Slowmercial’ to promote the new Volkswagen Beetle Cabrio.

Even when viewed the 30 second ad is viewed at 8x normal speed it still can communicate its message to the viewer.

While this trick works fine against for fast-forwarders, it’s powerless against the controversial new ad-skipping technology.

{via The Denver Egotist]

Belgium

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Red Stripe Ref Makes the Official Call on ‘That’ Super Bowl Car Commercial

February 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Red Stripe Ref Makes Official Call on VW Ad

Jamaican beer brand Red Stripe may not name the brand in question, but anyone who follows advertising knows how Volkswagen’s official Super Bowl ad ‘Get Happy’ has stirred up controversy. The ad features a a white office guy (from Minnesota, Land of a “Towsend” Lakes) speaking with a distinctive Jamaican accent, eventually winning over his glum co-workers with his ‘no worries’ attitude.

In an article on the Mercury News, VW spokesman, Scott Vazin said critics have it all wrong, “If you look at the whole intent of the commercial for us, it’s about making people happy. The idea is to put a smile on your face. It’s simple and human and humorous.”

The clip was just one in a series posted to Red Stripe’s YouTube, Twitter and Facebook during and just after the game, with shout-outs to Beyonce’s half-time show, and the winning coach Harbaugh.

[via Meme Machine]

JamaicaUSA

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Dog Pretends To Be a Car in Dutch Volkswagen Ad

January 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Volkswagen Dog

A new ad from Volkswagen Netherlands features a cute Jack Russell Terrier (possibly a Jackapoo), that is so impressed by the neighbour’s VW that he spends his day pretending to be one, much to the chagrin of his beleaguered owner.

The dog makes engine revving sounds at the crosswalk, makes tire suealing sounds in the park, beeps as it’s backing up, and when startled out of a sound sleep, it begins to bark like a car alarm.

The spot was created by DDB & Tribal Amsterdam, and directed by Mattias Schut at Czar.

Netherlands

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Volkswagen Taps Jimmy Cliff and Unhappy Viral Video Stars for Pre-Super Bowl Clip

January 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Volkswagen Super Bowl - Jimmy Cliff

For this year’s Volkswagen pre-Super Bowl spot (we have pre-ads now?) Deutsch L.A. has tapped reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, star of the 1972 movie ‘The Harder They Come’. That movie was critical in helping expose the music of Jamaica to an international audience. Cliff is featured in the clip singing his updated version of the Patridge Family theme song ‘Come on Get Happy’.

Along side Cliff, are several people who were caught being very ‘unhappy’ on YouTube, including Debbie; the cat-crazy woman from the ‘eHarmony Video Bio’ (which was not a bio at all, but a marketing promotion for Dutch company Pretty Social), Ohio Republican candidate Phil Davison, who loses his mind in a campaign speech, Casey, the inconsolable Packers fan, Francis, the guy who destroys his xBox after being called fat, two scrapping mascots, and minor-league baseball manager Phillip Wellman, who went on a legendary base-throwing tirade.

Cliff’s version of Come on Get Happy, along with several ringtones are available for free download.

[via AgencySpy]

USAPull-Ups First Flush

Filed Under: Automobiles, Music Tagged With: , , , ,

VW Netherlands Promotes Commercial Vehicle Sale with One-of-a-Kind BBQ Van

October 4, 2012 By 4 Comments

Volkswagen BBQ Bus

Until November 2, Volkswagen Netherlands is offering special discounts on their commercial vehicles during Vriendenprijsweken (Friends Price Week). To further promote the campaign, Dutch metal-artist and designer Thierry van Raay was recruited to create a fully functional BBQ in the form of a classic Volkswagen Transporter T1.

To win the van, eligible participants (i.e., residents of The Netherlands 18+) allow the BBQ-BUS Facebook app to scan their most recent 50 photos to determine how many friends are recognized in the photos (my scan found 20 faces, several of which were my own).

The images that the application locates, are then displayed on bodies of a line-up of hungry construction workers, which can then be shared on the user’s Facebook timeline.

On October 17, a winner will be randomly selected from eligible participants to take home the one-of-a-kind BBQ bus.

The campaign was created by Amsterdam-based creative agency Achtung!

[via marcobulters.nl]

Netherlands

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2013 Volkswagen Jetta Ad: Missing Car Keys and the Guilty Bulldog

September 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Volkswagen 2013 Jetta - Lost keys

Between January and November, 2011, US pet insurance provider VPI received over 6,500 claims of pets swallowing foreign objects. The list of objects recovered include everything from a scented candles, an unfortunate GI Joe and a wedding ring.

As any pet owner knows, surgery to remove a foreign object from the stomach on intestine of a pet can be expensive, as much as $1,900 according to information on the VPI website. The insurer provides an article on how to spot whether your pet has swallowed a foreign object and some steps to help prevent the problem from happening.

Speaking of pets and foreign objects, Volkswagen’s new spot for the 2013 features the case of a missing set of car keys and a guilty-looking bulldog. Based on the reaction of the owner, this may not be the first time that something has disappeared around the house.

The song in the ad is ‘Dirty Old Egg Sucking Dog‘ by Johnny Cash.

The ad was created by Deutsch LA.

USA

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Volkswagen Challenges South Africans to Find & Pin VWs on Street View

August 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Volkswagen Street Quest - South Africa

Volkswagen holds 3 of the 10 positions on the top selling cars of all time. The Golf is #3 with 27.5 million, the Beetle at 23.5 million, and the Passat at 15.5 million.

With those numbers in mind, Volkswagen South Africa has launched Street Quest, a challenge in which players search the streets of South Africa using Google Street View and ‘pin’ as many Volkswagens as they can find. The first part of challenge is being played out over 4 weeks, with each week’s top ‘pinner’ winning a trip to Cape Town to compete in the live Grand Final. The first three Quests saw more 250,000 VWs pinned by players. To be counted cars must be clearly identifiable as a Volkswagen, if more than 3 cars are determined to be falsely pinned the player will be disqualified.

The campaign was created by Ogilvy Cap Town.

South Africa

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VW Builds Beetle-Shaped Shark Observation Cage for Shark Week

July 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Volkswagen Beetle Shark Observation Cage

2012 marks the 25th anniversary of the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, and sponsor Volkswagen of America will be getting lots of audience exposure both above and below the water.

Volkswagen has worked closely with marine biologist and shark expert Luke Tipple and his team of engineers to create the one-of-a-kind “Volkswagen Beetle Shark Observation Cage”. They will be produce 3 one-minute segments showing the design, construction and submersion of the Beetle. The shark cage, which mimics the silhouette and shape of a real beetle, will be driven (or more likely towed) along the ocean floor.

USA

Filed Under: Automobiles, Television Tagged With: , ,

Speedy VWs Face-Off Against Fast Talkers, Beat Boxers and More

July 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Volkswagen Fast vs Fast

To help remind potential car buyers that their cars are not just sensible transportation, Volkswagen has created a series of tongue-in-cheek ‘Fast vs Fast’ challenges to demonstrate that their cars are nit just sensible, but speedy too. The challengers must demonstrate their speed skills before the car completes a lap… while riding along in the passenger seat.

The challengers include: Beat-boxer J-Flo, speed-talker Fran Capo, speed guitarist John Taylor, and Anthony Brooks, master Rubik’s cube solver.

Volkswagen isn’t messing around either, they’ve hired race car driver and stuntman Eric Norris, (son of ‘the’ Chuck Norris as their wheel man in the challenges.

The Fast vs Fast clips were created by Deutsch and produced by Recommended Media.

via Agency Spy

Volkswagen GTI vs. Beat Boxer

Volkswagen Jetta GLI vs. Speed Talker

Volkswagen Golf R vs. Speed Rubik’s Cuber

Volkswagen Jetta GLI vs. Speed Guitarist

USA

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Volkswagen Sweden Promotes 2012 Beetle Turbo With Real Bug Racing

May 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Volkswagen Bug RunIt’s Pistol Pete and Retox Robert neck and neck coming into the final corner, but don’t look now folks here comes Shitty Bill!

No, that’s not the running commentary from an alternative Kentucky derby, but it could be how Jack and John call the final race of Volkswagen Sweden’s BugRun this Friday.

What’ the heck am I talking about? Well, to promote the 2012 Turbo Beetle, Volkswagen Sweden is hosting a series of races using Beetles. But, the racing won’t be done with cars, but with real live beetles.  The beetles used in the race are one of the most common species in the Swedish forests. They even have a full-time handler, Magnus Forsberg, who makes sure the bugs are comfortable and fed. After the completion of the final the beetles will be released exactly where they were found.

Each day 8 of the beetles will compete in qualifying rounds, with fastest bugs meeting in the final Friday.

Residents of Sweden and Denmark can even place a ‘real’ bet on their favorite bug using the popular betting site Bettson. Prizes for participants who score the most points by guessing winning bugs and their times include trips to Swedish Touring Car Races, an Arsenal game in London or a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The Bug Run was created by DDB Stockholm.

Sweden

 

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