Volkswagen of America, Inc.: Honesty campaign
Patrick HutchinsOverview
For its longevity, for its extraordinary acceptance by the public, and most of all for its dead-on honesty, many observers considered the Volkswagen (VW) advertising of the 1960s to be the most successful marketing campaign ever. Launched in 1959, when America's love affair with extravagant automobile styling and conspicuous inefficiency was at its most torrid, the campaign emphasized homely virtues—functional styling, fuel efficiency, and ease of upkeep. The car's shortcomings were cheerfully acknowledged with humor and appealing self-deprecation. This style of marketing was perfectly suited to the vehicle itself, which had...