Ad of the Day: Volkswagen

In a way, it's surprising that Volkswagen and Deutsch had such a megahit with "The Force." (For those under a Geico-ish rock, that would be the 2011 Super Bowl spot that's racked up 53 million views to date on YouTube.) Brands usually have to go big and loud to enjoy such mass effect. Think of Evian's roller babies (56 million), for example, or the Old Spice guy's first spot (41 million). The Star Wars theme elevated "The Force" to a kind of spectacle, but at its core it was a simple, subtle spot. Much of the brand's recent work has that the same unassuming quality, going back to Arnold's famed 1999 "Milky Way" spot with Nick Drake's "Pink Moon." This is a brand that's often happy to be driving away from the party while others are driving up to it. Two new VW spots from Deutsch in Los Angeles continue this evocative yet understated storytelling. The first, for the Passat, shows a teenager who has just crashed his car—or rather, his dad's car. As he frets with his friend and fellow passenger, the boy utters the traditional remark: "My dad's going to kill me, dude." On-screen text then offers a nice twist on that hoary comment, as a way into a discussion about safety. The second spot, for the Jetta, is a bit more odd. Called "Door Thunk," it shows a man shutting his Jetta door, which causes a rain of kids' toys to fall from the sky. Seems the car is so well built that even just the weighty impact of the door closing can dislodge long-lost items from trees. "The solid thunk of the door on the Jetta," says the voiceover. "Another example of Volkswagen quality." The spots don't call attention to themselves, but they add to brand's tradition of simple storytelling designed to lend a sheen of quality and family friendliness. The automaker has its regular breakout hits—not just "The Force" but perfectly pitched ads like last year's "Rocket Man" for the Passat. But even its less heralded work does the job well. Whatever the reliability of the vehicles themselves, this is advertising you can always count on. CREDITS Client: Volkswagen Chief Product and Marketing Officer: Tim Mahoney General Manager Brand Marketing: Brian Thomas Brand Communications Manager: Jeff Sayen General Manager, Marketing Communications: Justin Osborne Agency: Deutsch, Los Angeles —Spot: "Crash" Deutsch Creative Credits: Chief Creative Officer: Mark Hunter Group Creative Director: Michael Kadin Group Creative Director: Matt Ian Associate Creative Director: Brian Friedrich Art Director: Paul Oberlin Copywriter: Matt Sherman Director of Integrated Production: Vic Palumbo Director of Broadcast Production: Victoria Guenier Producer: Dave Stephenson Production Company Credits and Address: Imperial Woodpecker 1707 Berkely St., Santa Monica, Calif. 90404 Director: Simon McQuoid Director of Photography: Hoyte van Hoytema Executive Producer: Doug Halbert Producer: Anita Wetterstedt Editorial Company Credits and Address: Cut + Run 2044 Broadway, Santa Monica, Calif. 90404 Editor: Steve Gandolfi Assistant Editor: Isaac Chen Managing Director: Michelle Burke Producer: Christie Price Post/VFX/Online Credits: The Mill 3233 South La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif., 90016 Colorist: Adam Scott Online/VFX Artist: Gareth Parr Executive Producer: Ben Hampshire Executive Producer: Sue Troyan Producer: Sabrina Elizondo Audio Post Company Credits and Address: LIME Studios 1231 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica, Calif. 90401 Mixer: Mark Meyuhas Assistant Mixer: Matt Miller Executive Producer: Jessica Locke Additional Deutsch Credits: Account Management Credits: CEO: Mike Sheldon Group Account Director: Tom Else Account Director: Chris Carter Account Supervisor: Pari Boorer Media Credits: MediaCom Account Planners: Chief Strategic Officer: Jeffrey Blish Planning Director: Douglas VanPraet Traffic/Business Affairs: Director of Business Affairs: Abilino Guillermo Associate Director of Business Affairs: Gabriela Farias Director or Broadcast Traffic: Carie Bonillo Broadcast Traffic Manager: Sarah Brennan —Spot: "Tree" Deutsch Creative Credits: Chief Creative Officer: Mark Hunter Group Creative Director: Michael Kadin Group Creative Director: Matt Ian Associate Creative Director, Copywriter: Brian Friedrich Associate Creative Director, Art Director: Mark Peters Director of Integrated Production: Vic Palumbo Director of Broadcast Production: Victoria Guenier Producer: Dave Stephenson Production Company Credits and Address: Biscuit Filmworks 7026 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90038 Director: Noam Murro Managing Director: Shawn Lacy Executive Producer: Colleen O’Donnell Line Producer: Jay Veal Editorial Company Credits and Address: Spotwelders 825 Hampton Drive, Venice, Calif. 90291 Editor: Dick Gordon Assistant Editor: Cudjo Collins Executive Producer: David Glean Executive Producer: Joanne Ferraro Producer: Carolina Wallace Post Facility Credits and Address: Company 3 1661 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica, Calif. 90404 Colorist: Stefan Sonnenfeld VFX/Online Credits Method 730 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica, Calif. 90401 Flame Artist: Pete Mayor Smoke Artist: Jason Frank Executive Producer: Robert Owens Producer: Stephanie Allis Audio Post Company Credits and Address: LIME Studios 1231 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica, Calif. 90401 Mixers: Mark Meyhuas, Rohan Young Assistant Mixer: Matt Miller Executive Producer: Jessica Locke Additional Deutsch Credits: Account Management Credits: CEO: Mike Sheldon Group Account Director: Tom Else Account Director: Chris Carter Account Supervisor: Pari Boorer Account Executive: Dani Gordon Media Credits: MediaCom Account Planners: Chief Strategic Officer: Jeffrey Blish Planning Director: Douglas VanPraet Traffic/Business Affairs: Director of Business Affairs: Abilino Guillermo Associate Director of Business Affairs: Gabriela Farias Director or Broadcast Traffic: Carie Bonillo Broadcast Traffic Manager: Sarah Brennan

Brand Marketing

Ad of the Day: Volkswagen

The brand shows its range, from poignant to comic, in spots for the Passat and Jetta

Tim Nudd

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Tim Nudd