Think Small

Nothing is small in America. Big burgers. Over-the-top mansions. Wanting more and taking more: over-consumption is the cornerstone, unfortunately, of the country I come from. America the great.

That's why Volkswagen's ad from the 1960s is brilliant. While everything else about American culture was trying to be more, they showed that less could be more.

Think small.

These cars were built by the Nazis, looked like bugs, but became iconic to post-war (World War II) Americans. Cars were the symbols of masculinity and power. How was Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) able to make this product succeed in America and change the status quo of cars forever??

The "Think Small" campaign revolutionized automobile advertising.

Take a look at the copy. It starts off saying how slow the Volkswagen is. What?? So naturally you would continue reading on. The ad turns it around by saying how the slow speed is actually an attribute:

"So you can easily break at almost any speed low in the country in a VW. And you can also cruise right past gas stations, repair shops and tire stores. The VW engine may not be the fastest, but it's among the most advanced."

VW was a cute nickname for the car. It sounded less foreign and more modern. This only added to the solid branding of the car. 

Minimialism. Simplicity. Focus on the product. There is so much we can learn from this about print advertising, and about life. Look at that whitespace! You are forced to look at one thing-- the highly stylized drawn images of the vehicle. 

The ad worked in the 60s and continues to influence advertisements today...

Cheers!

Laura