EOC Week 1: Volkswagen Lemon Ad

Few advertising campaigns were able to make such a mark on the history of the industry like the one made by Volkswagen in the 1960’s. Not only were the German auto manufacturer’s tasked with the challenge of surmounting strong odds against them, but they were able to do so with style and a lasting impact that changed the face of advertising for decades to come. “How could Volkswagen sell Hitler’s favorite car to the American people only a decade and a half after World War II? This was the question asked of the advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach in 1960. In order for them to solve this problem, they would have to find a new way to advertise their products.” (http://www.writingfordesigners.com/?p=1731)

In order to get past the problems, not only with advertising to a world that still remembered the horrors of World War II, but to break past cultural stereotypes and other barriers, Volkswagen utilized this ad agency to its greatest affect, endearing itself to consumers worldwide in ways that would almost never be repeated. “The large copy printed at the bottom of the ad says “LEMON” which caused the viewer to question his intuitive knowledge about Volkswagen’s high standards. The ad agency successfully caught the viewer’s attention by using self-effacing humor. With any luck, these ads drew you into the joke, and you would read the rest of the copy looking for the punch line.” (http://designhistorylab.com/?p=1755)

Humor, as shown by this legendary ad campaign, would later grow to become the backbone to successful advertising, especially when it came to winning over American consumers, was built upon. Not only that, but the ad itself effectively set itself apart in terms of quality and high standards in ways that American cars could not hope to match. “America loved 1960s Volkswagen Beetle advertising, and with good reason. In an age of blustery pitches glorifying size, power, and prestige, 1960s Volkswagen Beetle advertising was the calm voice for a different set of values. Plus, it made you smile.” (http://www.howstuffworks.com/1960-1969-volkswagen-beetle4.htm) Now we not only see humor (or at least a vigorous attempt at it) in nearly every ad on TV, but we are forced to realize that nowadays the only ads that are truly successful in the modern advertising environment are the ones that truly connect their humor with that of the worldwide market. Humor, plus established and reliable quality, equals a recipe for successful advertising.