What do yachts, polo, and dancing have to do with Cadillacs?

Everything. If you were around in the 1980s, then you surely must remember seeing these commercials for Cadillac at the time. They used every symbol of the upper class they could find and put them in the commercials. Yachts, shooting, aerobic dancing, polo, and horse back riding. It was all there! Even a Fleetwood Brougham pulling a dual axle horse trailer. It was a great time for car commercials and a great time for automotive jingles. Now all we get are remixed pop songs. The only way to travel, truly was Cadillac Style!

Meet Max, Das Auto

VW is rolling out a new advertising campaign. And this one is right up our alley. Rather than the Drivers Wanted and all those "Sign THEN Drive" ads we're used to seeing from VW. This one takes us on a surprising trip down memory lane. Looking to a vintage 1964 Beetle, and using some of the magic created with Herbie the Love Bug. We get Max, part of VWs new "Das Auto" campaign. Max assures us that he knows what the people want. Well I know that I want more vintage Volkswagens, so I'm already hooked. People want German Engineering. And in this country, nothing symbolizes that more so than a Volkswagen Beetle. For the last 50+ years, when you ask a person on the street, What is German? A VW is pretty likely to be near the top of that list. And just about everyone in the U.S. has a story to go along with a VW. Everyone can relate to the Beetle. In upcoming print and television ads, Max will be tooting his own horn so to speak about the exciting new products from VW. Cars like the Tiguan, Routan and the all new diesels.

"We're reintroducing Volkswagen to the world by using a lovable icon that everyone will know and relate to," says Tim Ellis, VW's vice president of marketing. "Max will be integrated into everything we do and will be the connective tissue as we launch new vehicles."

The first spots will feature celebrities on Max's talk show. Bobby Knight, Leonard Nimoy and Heidi Klum will be among the celebs featured. The ads will then eventually work into the new vehicles that VW will be releasing over the next few months.

This to me seems like a brilliant way to advertise. You capture the buying public's imagination and play off of emotion. Here's to VW!

Source: USA Today.

Introducing Max the Love Bug