shaan
@shaanchagan.eth
in the late 1950s, Volkswagen had a problem. American car Ads were dominated by large, flashy vehicles. Consumers at the time were looking for style... and cars that emphasized power and luxury. Volkswagen wanted to introduce The Beetle, but they had so many challenges: first, they were associated with Germany post-war, and second, the car was small. so they hired the New York agency DDB to help them change how small cars were viewed and establish Volkswagen as a major player in the U.S. market. in 1959, the “Think Small” campaign launched. It embraced the fact that The Beetle was small and economical. the campaign strategy was pretty simple:
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shaan
@shaanchagan.eth
- they focused on minimalist design which was a major contrast to the cluttered car Ads at the time - it turned The Beetle’s drawbacks into advantages, making a case that a small car was a smart and bold choice - they used humor, making fun of themselves which was very different and ironic for its time the “Think Small” campaign was a massive success. It helped Volkswagen break into the market, and significantly boosted sales. But it also changed advertising completely. it caused a shift toward simplicity, and advertising started moving away from “busy” campaigns. the major lessons from this: 1. advertising doesn’t have to be complicated; clear and honest messaging works 2. know your audience 3. it’s ok to acknowledge that you aren’t perfect “Think Small” is a prime example that you can do so much with very little.
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