Volkswagen launches the new 21st century Beetle in India with a campaign

The Beetle isn’t just a car. It’s a cultural phenomenon. A universal symbol of fun, freedom and style. Throughout the 20th century, it has earned itself a fanatical cult following, unheard of, in the automobile world.

So how do you capture a 70-year legacy in 70 seconds? That’s what DDB Mudra West just answered with its latest web film for the Beetle. The film is the first leg of a big campaign set to launch the 21^st Century Beetle for Volkswagen India. The intent of the film was to create excitement leading up to the launch of the new Beetle in India by leveraging its expansive heritage and its continued love through the years. Targeted to both existing and potential users of the Beetle, the film kick-starts the campaign to bring alive the Beetle’s positioning - ‘Think Fun. Think New’.

Aptly titled as ‘Ode to the Bug’, the film is a tribute to the Beetle, celebrating the iconic stature of the car in pop culture with a single-minded intent – to evoke nostalgia and a sense of pride amongst true blue Beetle lovers.

The film starts off by celebrating the quirky design of the car with a reference to the word ‘Lemon’ - a gentle nod to the beautifully crafted Beetle print ads of the 1960s. It goes on to recall the cultural and social moments that have marked the evolution of the Beetle across different generations. From the flower power movement of the 60’s to the electrifying drag races in millennium years; from its place in music and movies to its miniatures on table tops. From eccentric fans who modified their beloved Beetles into bold works of art, to the average Joe who inherited it from his father and drives the ‘people’s car’ to work. The film takes the viewer on a visual journey through the eclectic moments and memories associated with the car.

The film has been released on YouTube, Facebook and Volkswagen India’s website and social media channels. Designed to go bigger and wider, the campaign will roll out in phases to do justice to the iconic brand.

Quoting about the campaign, Kamal Basu, Head - Marketing & PR, Volkswagen Passenger Cars said, “Beetle is an icon of automotive industry and still enjoys a cult status. Idea behind this film is to offer a distinctive feel to the Beetle enthusiasts enabling them to connect with the legacy of Beetle which is timeless. DDB Mudra team has worked really well on the brief and the final outcome is fantastic.”

Quoted Sonal Dabral, Chairman and CCO, DDB Mudra Group, “DDB's founder, the genius Bill Bernbach and his band of revolutionaries set the stage in the fifties for the great work on VW that continues even till today. In fact Doyle Dane Bernbach's Volkswagen Beetle campaign has been heralded as the best advertising campaign of the twentieth century. To create work for this iconic car therefore, is a daunting task for any creative team.

I am really excited that DDB Mudra Group's Mumbai's team along with an equally passionate team at VW were able to create a campaign that does full justice to this much revered car and adds to the rich legacy of VW Beetle advertising. I'm sure it will be loved as much as we loved creating it.”

Added Rahul Mathew, Creative Head, DDB Mudra West, “Beetle isn’t a car you launch, you merely take its legacy forward. The same goes for work that one creates on this iconic brand and that’s exactly what we’ve tried to do to announce the 21st Century Beetle. Our 'Ode to the Bug' starts with this video tribute and will soon extend to many more mediums.”