The advertising of the 1950s mainly focused on the return of traditional family values and the representation of the role of the consumer in the prestige of society. But during the recession of 1959 to 1961, the time was ripe for some innovation in the advertising industry. Surely a single ad appeared that changed the course of advertising history. The Volkswagen Beetle, a seemingly ugly car with all the odds stacked against it in the American market for huge tailfin vehicles of the 1950s, surprisingly prospered. The advertising campaign broke all previous rules about the use of wide-angle photography and beautiful women. These ads stole the hearts of Americans with their intelligence and honesty. Doyle Dane Bernbach's (DDB) Volkswagen “Think Small” campaign did more than just boost sales and build brand recognition; The 1960s advertising campaign ushered in a creative revolution in the advertising industry starting from the "big idea" to what consumers see in 2013. Smiling faces, beautiful women and "made in America" were the typical elements of the advertisements of this decade. DDB's first “big idea” behind the campaign was no different; The main goal was to make Volkswagen more American by photographing Suzy Parker standing next to a Volkswagen. It was only after visiting the production line and observing Volkswagen's production step by step that DDB struck gold with an innovative new "big idea". What impressed the American advertising team most during this visit was the incredible quality control of the German factory, so they decided on "an honest car promoted with honesty". The campaign was built on selling a single benefit of the car in each ad. that was created. There was a consistent theme in each ad: the image... in the center of the paper... each Volkswagen ad brought humor and truth to automotive advertising. ReferencesBendinger, Bruce. The Copy Lab Workbook, 4th ed. (Chicago: Copy Laboratory, 2009). 21, 49, 334.Berkman, Herald W. and Gilson, Christopher. Advertising: Concepts and Strategies, 2nd ed. (New York: Random House, 1987). 244. Goodrum, Charles and Dalrymple, Helen, Advertising in America: The First 200 Years. (New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers, 1990). 37.Nelson, Walter E. Small Wonder: The Extraordinary Story of Volkswagen. (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1970). 213-220. Rowsome, Frank. Think Small: The Story of Those Volkswagen Ads. (Vermont: The Stephen Greene Press, 1907). 76-78. Warlaumont, Hazel G. Advertising in the 1960s: Turncoats, Traditionalists, and Wastemakers in the Turbulent American Decade. (Connecticut: PRAGER, 2001). 184-86.
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