How Volkswagen’s “Think Small” Ad Campaign Changed Advertising Forever

If you’ve ever heard of Volkswagen, chances are you’re familiar with their iconic “Think Small” ad campaign. As one of the most successful advertising campaigns of all time, it was a bold move for Volkswagen to buck conventional wisdom and create something entirely new. But what was the story behind it? Let’s take a closer look at the history behind this iconic ad campaign.

In 1959, Volkswagen was struggling to gain traction in the US market. To make matters worse, they were up against some pretty stiff competition from established car manufacturers like Ford and Chevrolet. The challenge for Volkswagen was to find an effective way to stand out from the crowd and make people think differently about their cars. So, when Volkswagen hired Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) as their advertising agency in 1960, they knew they had to think outside the box if they wanted to change people’s minds about their vehicles.

The team at DDB came up with the idea of creating an ad campaign that focused on the smaller size of Volkswagen’s cars compared to other vehicles on the market. This was a risky move because at that time most car companies were emphasizing power and luxury over size and practicality. But DDB took a gamble and created a series of ads that featured small photographs of VW models along with clever taglines such as “Think Small” and “Lemon” (which referred to VW’s famously unreliable engines).

These ads were revolutionary because they put style ahead of function and challenged consumers’ preconceived notions about what made a good car. By doing so, they not only helped Volkswagen become more popular in the US market but also changed how people thought about advertising in general—proving that it could be used not just to sell products but also to influence public opinion.

Volkswagen’s “Think Small” ad campaign is one of the most successful campaigns in history—and for good reason. It allowed them to stand out from their competitors by focusing on style instead of function, challenging preconceived notions about what makes a good car, and changing how people thought about advertising in general. It’s no wonder then that this campaign continues to be remembered over 60 years later! By taking a risk and pushing boundaries, Volkswagen set off a seismic shift in how brands use advertising to reach customers—and for that we can be thankful!