I like these. I like that they catch you off guard. I like that they show the airbags deploy and the damaged car at the end. I like that they are new and different. VW must like that people have taken notice.
Here is what I do not like though: I'm not sure that they are looking at the right target market here. Seth Stevenson of Slate makes a great point in his critique of the advert: Young people are not known to make automobile decisions based on the safety features. When were looking for cars, we are looking for the aesthetic. We don't often have families, a fact that probably plays heaviest into our lack of regard for the safety features. Too bad the poorly selling Phaeton didn't win this crash test award.
However, this may help VW in the future. Volvo has a stronghold currently on the Safety side of the market. With VW positioning itself as the leader, many of us may remember these remarkable commercials when we start buying child seats along with our cars.
There is a great Business Week article about the rebirth of the VW brand and its agency's current work for the company.
Agency: Crispin Porter
