Volkswagen ad for Distance Control: masterclass in feature advertising

Automobile advertising is perhaps one of the toughest categories in the ad business. The graveyard of automobile ads is filled with me-too lifestyle ads (usually identified by a montage of car driving visuals shot in exotic locations or depicting the user’s upscale lifestyle) and dry as a bone feature ads. The latter typically is about a small, new or additional feature – rear parking sensors for example. Volkswagen has a history of great ads overall – especially with ads dramatising a feature. This print ad for a multimedia navigation system was interpreted as ‘imagine if John Travolta were to give you directions‘.

A new ad to highlight the Automatic Distance Control tells a bitter-sweet story of two teddy bears being kept away from each other – in safe distance.

Agency: adam&eveDDB

What I liked about the ad was that it keeps you riveted till the end and demands your attention. And when the penny drops it brings a smile and drives home the point about the car’s feature. Another winner from adam&eveDDB.