The ad that I chose to analyze is the 2011 Volkswagen Super Bowl ad for the Passat. This ad's creativity and comedy made it one of the most popular commercials that debuted during halftime and it's easy to see why.
First, the ad was unexpected - the mini Darth Vader trying to use 'the force' to move the toys, his lunch, and even the family dog had you wondering what on earth was being advertised. Was this an ad for Star Wars? Light sabers? Your interest was piqued to find out more. Secondly, the element of humor - not jokes - was prevalent and got people chuckling when he tried, without success, to use his supposed super powers.
Another dynamic to the ad was how well it hit it's targeted audience. Most people looking to buy a Passat either have, or were planning to have, children. That puts them at an age where Star Wars would have been huge for them during their childhood. They could relate to the little boy in his costume because at one time in their lives, they were the little boy. Seeing an iconic, pop culture character portrayed by a child would grab the attention of any kid at heart.
When it comes to the actual advertising of the product the creators opted for subtlety - it isn't immediately clear what the commercial is for, and when it does become apparent, there are no catchy taglines or loud exclamations; just a single push of a button to remotely start the car. But even with it's quiet nature, viewers still know from this commercial that the Passat is a great car for people with kids and, guess what, it even has remote start!
While there is no dialogue at all, which in itself makes the commercial more memorable, there is text at the end that states that the Passat is 'coming soon' much like Star Wars was 'coming soon to a theater near you'. Tying the two together throughout the entire spot really unifies the theme. It's possible that VW could have opted to showcase a few more of the car's features but for the length of the ad I think they got it just right.
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