Volkswagen's Public Polling Pays Off

Visit Volkswagen’s “What the people want” microsite and the first thing you’ll hear is the squeaky brakes of Max, the talking classic Beetle who stars in his own celebrity-filled talk show in TV spots, as he rolls up to a feedback-producing microphone. Pause too long before taking part in the central attraction of the site — the yes or no voting area that asks questions ranging from “Do you want bloggers to shut up?” to “Do you want to live forever?” — and the playful black bug pipes up with one of several encouraging comments in his exaggerated German accent: “Don’t be a scary rabbit, go ahead and vote!” or “I can’t vote for you, I don’t have any hands.”