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Deutsch LA Advertising Volkswagen (VW)

VW heads back to the 60s for latest campaign to showcase its People First Warranty

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By Kyle O'Brien, Creative Works Editor

October 13, 2017 | 4 min read

The flower power era has returned for Volkswagen in its latest campaign, as has the automaker’s iconic Microbus. The new spot, however, isn’t promoting new VW cars or buses – it’s showcasing its new warranty.

People First Warranty

VW's People First Warranty spot

‘Rain’ is a brand play featuring its new ‘People First Warranty,' and the spot aims to recapture the spirit of the music festivals of the 60s and celebrate the heritage of the brand. Highlighting the hippie favorite, the Microbus, VW is bringing viewers back to a time of love and harmony – and putting its drivers first.

In the 60-second spot by Deutsch LA, a mid-60s bus is being driven by a young couple to the soundtrack of Joe Cocker’s iconic cover of “With a Little Help from My Friends.” They stop to pick up a couple of hitchhikers on the way to a Woodstock-style music festival. The era is obviously the late 60s and the festival is filled with hippie revelers, dancing and frolicking in their underwear. As the rain comes in, the couple invites as many people as can fit to take shelter in the bus. As the couple tries to leave, the bus gets stuck in the mud, but there are plenty of people there to help push them on their way.

A voice-over states: “VW drivers have always put others first. Now, we’re returning the favor, with the People First Warranty.”

So why did VW return to an era when the coveted millennial demographic didn’t exist yet?

“The Volkswagen brand is an icon of the 60s,” said Greg Tebbutt, VW’s director of marketing. “Through the people that owned VWs, the brand symbolized peace, love and a free spirit. That era and Volkswagen’s role in it remains iconic to this day, across all generations. I would say millennials potentially have an even greater affinity with what that era signified than older generations.”

Tebutt added that the era’s theme of sharing and caring is representative of VW owners then and now, and one that resonates with the auto maker’s target audience.

“It’s at the heart of the idea behind the People First Warranty. VW drivers are the type of people that always put others first. By offering a 6 year/72,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, as a brand we’re putting our customers first.”

He added that the new warranty, which he said is double the length of VW’s major competitors, is extending across the range of 2018 models.

“The wonderful thing about the nostalgia around the late 60’s and the Microbus’ role in that, is that it’s still relevant today. Those that were there remember that time fondly, and all generations today can relate to what that era signified, because peace, love and tolerance are still relevant themes today,” he stated.

The ‘Rain’ spot will debut on air this Sunday (October 15) during NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

Volkswagen: advert-top-1 by Deutsch LA

By Volkswagen

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Deutsch LA Advertising Volkswagen (VW)

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