It’s coming up on two years since VW and Deutsch LA’s beloved “The Force” aka “Little Darth” spot captured the hearts of America during Super Bowl XLV. While most agree that “Little Darth” was worthy of the acclaim and awards bestowed upon it, the VW/Duetsch duo has had a difficult time following it up. Last year’s “The Dog Strikes Back” fell well short of its predecessor, and perhaps this is due to an erroneous insight into what the public loved about “Little Darth.”
Yes, the Star Wars tie-in to “Little Darth” was great, but it wasn’t the reason the spot became one of the web’s biggest hits. “The Dog Strikes Back” also had a pretty blatant nod to Star Wars as well, but the spirit of “Little Darth” was lost, and the spot became more of a sequel than a standalone ad. The real reason the public loved “Little Darth” so much was because it was just so damn adorable, and judging by the above new spot for the VW Passat, this insight is now crystal clear.
What we have here is a great (and simple) slice-o-life spot, with an absolutely perfectly timed punchline that will make you giggle and then give a long “awwww.” It’s a bit surprising that VW didn’t hold the spot until this year’s Super Bowl, but I’m quite excited for what Deutsch has planned next. Credits after the jump.
Chief Creative Officer: Mark Hunter
• Group Creative Director: Michael Kadin
• Group Creative Director: Matt Ian
• Associate Creative Director: Brian Friedrich
• Associate Creative Director: Mark Peters
• Senior Art Director: Ryan McLaughlin
• Copywriter: Cam Miller
• Director of Integrated Production: Vic Palumbo
• Director of Content Production: Victoria Guenier
• Executive Producer: Jim Haight
• Senior Producer: Eva Ellis
Production Company Credits and Address:
Imperial Woodpecker
• Director: Simon McQuoid
• Executive Producer: Doug Halbert
• Line Producer: Anita Wetterstedt
Editorial Company Credits and Address:
Spotwelders
• Editor: Dick Gordon
• Assistant Editor: Glenn Teel
• Executive Producer: David Glean
• Producer: J. Patrick McElroy
Post Facility Credits and Address:
The Mill
• Colorist: Adam Scott
VFX/Online Credits
The Mill
• Lead Flame Artist: Nick Taylor
• Compositor: James Allen
• Compositor: Patrick Munoz
• Executive Producer: Sue Troyan
• Producer: Adam Reeb
• Coordinator: Benjamin Sposato
Audio Post Company Credits and Address:
LIME Studios
• Mixer: Mark Meyuhas
• Assistant Mixer: Matt Miller
• Executive Producer: Jessica Locke