HERNDON, Va. -

In hopes of building momentum months before the vehicles arrive in franchise inventory, Volkswagen of America announced Wednesday it will have two advertisements during the Super Bowl.

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

The automaker indicated the two 30-second spots during the second and fourth quarters of Super Bowl XLV will showcase two new vehicles — the all-new 2012 Passat and the 21st Century Beetle — months before they arrive in dealerships this fall.

After a nine-year hiatus, VW is pushing out ads during the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year.

Brand officials believe these spots are part of a robust pre-launch advertising and marketing campaign that includes television, digital, experiential and retail activations to maintain momentum throughout the year.

With its all-new 2012 Passat ad, Volkswagen contends that it brings Star Wars to one of TV’s most talked about events.

Accompanied by John Williams’ iconic “The Imperial March,” the spot features a pint-sized Darth Vader, who uses the “Force” when he discovers the all-new 2012 Passat in the driveway.

VW hopes “the two iconic brands leverage humor and the unforgettable Star Wars score to create an emotional spot and make Super Bowl ad history.”

In “Black Beetle,” the automaker explained the first spot for the 21st century Beetle has cutting-edge CGI creative that goes etymological. The spot includes the creation of a photo-real lush kingdom where the Black Beetle rules, runs, navigates and out-performs all the other creatures. It is accompanied by the song “Black Betty,” rerecorded by Jon Spencer and the Blues Explosion.

“The ad is homage to some of the greatest car chase scenes in the history of film and TV,” VW declared. “The Beetle ad revs to life even though it does not feature any actual images of the car, a bold move for any automotive brand. The iconic shape of the Beetle and its performance attributes are prominently showcased in the spot, further building anticipation of the reveal.”

The automaker insisted both ads will have extensions that live beyond the game.

Immediately following the Super Bowl, Volkswagen plans to execute a digital and social media campaign, including an initiative on ESPN Mobile, more content on the VW.com blog, Facebook activations as well as a YouTube home page placement for the recently launched walk-around Webisodes “Inside the VW Academy.”

Tim Ellis, vice president of marketing for Volkswagen of America, believes, “The iconic shape of the Beetle and its place in pop culture gives us creative license to take a bold and unconventional approach in this spot where viewers only see the silhouette and not the car itself.”

Ellis went on to say, “Additionally, we’ve partnered with Lucasfilm for the all-new Passat ad, leveraging the emotional heritage of both Star Wars and Volkswagen to create a memorable moment on an unparalleled platform for two of the vehicles most important to Volkswagen’s growth strategy.”

The Super Bowl ads were created by Volkswagen’s creative Agency of Record — Deutsch LA —  and follow the 2010 Punch Dub Super Bowl spot, which starred superstar musician Stevie Wonder and comedian Tracy Morgan.

“Both spots show the creativity and innovation that people expect from an iconic brand like Volkswagen,” added Mike Sheldon, chief executive officer of Deutsch LA.

“The Super Bowl is unlike any other media platform in the world in terms of its reach and cultural influence,” Sheldon continued. “It is tailor-made for big announcements and is the perfect way for VW to engage the American public.”

Volkswagen intends to continue to be involved with the nation’s most prominent events with buys and integrations that include The Oprah Show, the NBA Finals, the NFL and others.

For more information on Volkswagen, visit www.media.vw.com.