EOC Week 1 | VW Lemon

This VW Lemon advertisement is an iconic ad that changed the way people advertised products. People responded positively to this ad, despite the fact that it was poking fun at the car: "'Lemon.' is a car that breaks down. 'Think small.' goes against the grain of what we see as a positive message - especially in '59! The headlines grabbed the reader's attention in an unexpected way and forced them to engage with the copy - where the true benefits were revealed". This is a really significant ad because it promoted the sales of the Volkswagen Beetle, which was a car that really defied the trend of cars at the time. "In an age of blustery pitches glorifying size, power, and prestige, 1960s Volkswagen Beetle advertising was the calm voice for a different set of values". The Beetle also has a history; it was manufactured as war car for Germany during WWII; however, young American buyers didn't care: "Most of these kids probably didn't realize the Beetle was born of war, but it didn't matter. They were too busy decorating the cars with flowers, "peace symbols," and psychedelic colors". This ad also had a very huge impact in advertising; however, "The 'Think Small' and 'Lemon' ads were not intentional". By doing some research, I learned why this ad had such a big impact to this day. All in all, the famous advertisement grabbed people's attention. People were talking about the ad, and once people talk about your ad it gives your product exposure. "Lemon." is a car that breaks down. "Think small." goes against the grain of what we see as a positive message - especially in '59! The headlines grabbed the reader's attention in an unexpected way and forced them to engage with the copy - where the true benefits were revealed".

Sources:

1. http://www.marketmatch.com/News/Blog2/Be-a-Lemon-Think-Small
2. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1960-1969-volkswagen-beetle4.htm