In 1959, Bill Bernbach oversaw Julian Koenig and Helmut Krone’s immortal ‘Think Small’ VW ad. They had single-handedly taken on the ultimate symbol of US consumer society: the huge, outsized, inefficient chrome-and-metal Detroit cars.
The VW Beetle was the antithesis: small, unchanging in its design, and economical. Selling this would be no mean feat.
And arguably an even harder job than most realised: After visiting VW’s production facility in Germany, Koenig and Krone told Bernbach that they hadn’t come up with any new ads but the marketing
problem was now clear: they had to
“sell a Nazi car in a Jewish town.”
Bernbach was unamused by this, and set them to work trying to solve the challenge of attractively positioning ostentatious economy in a world of ostentatious excess. They solved the problem using the classic David and Goliath approach: Goliath expected a physical fight, David knew he couldn’t compete directly so changed the fight to a slingshot competition without telling Goliath. VW did the same: Knowing they couldn’t compete directly with the huge, inefficient Detroit cars, they changed the fight to economy and frugality.
A game only they could win.
A lot of green/sustainable marketing managers lay awake at night fearful that their ‘economical’ products will drown in the torrent of bigger-faster-cheaper consumerism. It’s an irrational fear. The problem was solved 60 years ago. And it’s a problem that will be ‘solved’ again, and again, and again.
It’s a simple equation: The ‘Think Small’ ad is an expression of the product’s attributes.
“Advertising doesn’t create a product advantage. It can only convey it.” — Bill Bernbach
It’s in the marketeers’ gift – along with the ad agency’s planning department – to define a product’s advantage. So don’t shy away from the economical nature of your green/sustainable product – with the world demanding green/sustainable solutions you have a wonderful gift to give.
And 60 years ago, Bernbach found a wonderful way to give it.
For more on this speak with us, or have a look at our capabilities
Also, as co-founders and supporters of the London Behavioural Economics Network, join the Meetup group and Facebook group for more details and events
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It's interesting to place this historic ad in the context of current debates on the environment and sustainable economics.
Although DDB were obviously given a very difficult brief – the Nazi car arriving in NYC not long after WW2 – the significance of 'Think Small' at the time was that it ushered in a new era of advertising creative. It represented a triumph of art direction and conceptual thinking over more literal and copy-led approaches. I suspect it's therefore remembered and cherished more for its style than its substance. But, hey, that's advertising for you.
Good comments Phil, and I think you're right – it will be remembered as a triumph of art direction and conceptual thinking over more literal and copy-led approaches – and all the better for it. The fact that it doesn't shout about its fuel economy in a race to the green pound is exactly the approach that works today: appealing to people's better conscience only works for the small group of customers whose conscience is already pricked.
It is, of course, also open season for behavioural change approaches. Something Bernbach also hinted at understanding ("Human nature hasn't changed for a million years. It won't even vary for the next million years. Only the superficial things have changed…." for full quote go to adpulp http://www.adpulp.com/archives/2005/10/the_more_t…
Thanks for your comments.
What an interesting advertisement and an even more fascinating story behind it! I think the end of the advertisement is spot-on where they talk about the small price of insurance, repairs, gas, etc and how easy it is to park in small parking spaces. Genius!
The funny thing is, that despite the fact that VW is constantly trying to create a new "beatle effect" they're hard pressed to ever redo the initial launch.
/Maria
Nice article. I'm a VW fan myself and wouldn't dream of driving any other car.
It great article which they solved the problem using the classic David and Goliath approach: Goliath expected a physical fight, David knew he couldn’t compete directly so changed the fight to a slingshot competition without telling Goliath. In which the marketeers’ gift along with the ad agency’s planning department to define a product’s advantage. Thanks a lot for posting this article.