Volkswagen was one of the first automakers to release a teaser video for its upcoming Super Bowl ad, and we couldn’t see how dogs barking the Imperial March from Star Wars had anything to do with selling VWs. Sure, its Darth Vader spot was the unexpected hit of last year’s Super Bowl, but going back to the same well for inspiration two years in a row rarely works well.
The good news is that VW’s actual big game ad doesn’t feature dogs barking in harmony, and the Star Wars connection comes from out in left field. Yes, there’s a dog (who takes inspiration from the all new VW Turbo Beetle), and there’s even a scaled-down Darth Vader. We’re not sure if that works for two years in a row; in fact, we’re not even sure if the ad works at all.
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It seems to us that VW spent a serious amount of money on licensing for licensing sake. Last year’s Star Wars tie-in was funny, since most of us could picture doing something similar when we were kids. This year the connection just isn’t there, and the whole intergalactic cantina scene really doesn’t add to the video.
Maybe we’ve just seen one too many Super Bowl car ads this year, and we need a fresh perspective. What’s your take? Does the latest VW ad work via some Jedi mind trick that we’re immune to, or is it something that not even Yoda himself could save?
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
