DDB Mudra creates launch pad for Volkswagen's Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle was unveiled in Mumbai on Friday to members of the press and a large gathering of Volkswagen’s top brass with the fanfare that would befit one of the world’s most beloved cars. The gathered guests were also given a sneak preview of the Beetle’s launch TVC which broke this Saturday. The press campaign broke in Saturday’s editions.

Watch the TVC here:

The ad opens on a couple, riding a Beetle. They reach their destination and stop in front of the valet. The man asks the valet how much he owes him for parking. Mesmerised by the Beetle, the valet replies, "Rs. 200, Sir." Just as the man is about to hand over the money to the valet, he realises that instead, the valet is giving him Rs. 200 for having the privilege of parking the Beetle. Next, the valet sits in the car, wears his shades and takes the Beetle away in style, to park.

Talking about the campaign, Lutz Kothe, chief general manager - marketing and PR, Volkswagen India said, “I have been here since June and at every party that I would go to, everybody would ask ‘When are you launching the Beetle in India? There was a huge desire for the Beetle. So we wondered, ‘Why shouldn’t we bring the Beetle to India, it’s an icon.’”

Lutz added, “Recreate a legend, that was the brief that we gave to the agency. It addresses a non-existent segment because no other car in the world can compare with the Beetle. We are very confident that the Beetle will make its way in India.”

Commenting on the new campaign, Bobby Pawar, chief creative officer, Mudra Group said, “The launch campaign was in keeping with the continuation of the Beetle’s brand values. It remains among the world’s most beloved cars; the old Beetle was the original love bug. The newly designed Beetle is the love bug with aphrodisiac added.”

He added, “The idea was to showcase the reaction to a Beetle as one where the brain is disconnected; those who buy the Beetle are buying into an emotional promise, that of a fantastic design innovation. So the reaction when one sees the car is one where your heart talks to you. The commercial talks about the pleasure of riding the new Beetle. At a time when most car designs tend to be all about hard edges, the new Beetle celebrates curves and voluptousness."

The Beetle launch also had a surprise element; the showcase of Volkswagen’s SUV, Toureg, which is the company’s next launch in India.

The film is shot by Ramamurthy S of Nirvana Films.

Talking about the shoot, Pawar says, “Attention to detail was the most important part of the launch TVC’s shoot and especially so in the case of a brand like the Beetle. We wanted to create a lazy, Sunday morning feel, and had created a roof-top café on the roof of INOX theatre in Nariman Point, the entire façade was created to give the feel of a roof-top cafe. We thought we had natural light till 5pm, but the day of the shoot, the light started fading by 3pm, so it was a tough challenge to finish the shoot in that time but we managed.”

Volkswagen Beetle's print ad (below)

Credit Details (TVC)
Title: Valet
Agency: DDB Mudra
National creative director: Rajeev Raja
Copywriter and chief creative officer:  Bobby Pawar
Art Director: Timsy Gupta
Director: Ramamurthy S
Production House: Nirvana Films
Post production: Prime Focus
Music: Clint Fernandes

Credit Details (Print)
Art Director: Timsy Gupta
Copywriter: Anshumani Khanna, Bobby Pawar