VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT AND NEW BEETLE ADS PREMIER AT SUPER BOWL

06.02.2010 / Wolfsburg - Cairo - Dubai /

During Sunday's Super Bowl game, the final game and high point of the American football season, Volkswagen will present important new models for the US market. Volkswagen has produced two commercials for the Super Bowl, featuring the new US Passat and the silhouette of the new Beetle, even before its official launch. More than 100 million viewers will be watching the game between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

‘The Super Bowl is a TV event with one of the highest viewer totals in the world. We intend to take this opportunity to present our latest models to a very wide audience and to heighten the emotional associations of the Volkswagen brand,’ says Luca de Meo, Head of Group Marketing and Head of Marketing, Volkswagen Passenger Cars.

As in the Oprah Winfrey Show in November 2010, the new Beetle is shown as a silhouette in the ‘Black Beetle’ commercial. In a fantasy world, a beetle is involved in a race with other ‘bugs’. The parallels with car chases from films and TV shows are no accident. At the end, the beetle reaches the finishing line first and its silhouette is transformed into that of the Beetle.

The second spot establishes a link with the legendary Star Wars™ films of George Lucas. Underscored by John Williams's ‘Imperial March’ soundtrack, the commercial shows a small boy wearing the costume of film villain Darth Vader. He is practising his martial arts on the Passat in the driveway in front of his parents' house and is surprised by the apparent reaction of the car.

‘There are very few occasions when commercial spots can attract such levels of attention as at the Super Bowl. The originality of our commercials will help make the game an unforgettable TV experience,’ said de Meo, commenting on the importance of these spots.

Volkswagen already scored high at the 2010 Super Bowl with its ‘Punch dub’ spot based on a popular children's game. The commercial, produced with the aid of US musical star Stevie Wonder, was a resounding success: immediately after the game, Volkswagen had 50,000 new Facebook fans. A million users viewed the spot online.

This year's Super Bowl activities are part of a comprehensive campaign in preparation for the US launch of the Passat and Beetle. This also includes a takeover of the main YouTube channel the day after the final.

In addition to a broad-based social media campaign, further activations are planned on The Oprah Winfrey Show, in the National Basketball Association (NBA) finals and in the NFL.