Bad Ad - VW's "The Force"

Learn why the most watched Super Bowl ad of all time likely benefited the agency behind the ad more than Volkswagen.

For anyone new here, I’m the founder of Woo Punch, a brand consultancy rooted in evidence-based brand design. I write about the evidence that debunks brand purpose, differentiation, brand love, loyalty marketing, customer personas, color psychology, mission statements, customer engagement, AdTech, and “hustle culture.”

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THE MYTH OF VW’S “THE FORCE”

Volkswagen's ''The Force'' is the most successful Super Bowl ad of all time. It's entertaining, clever, relevant, cute, you name it!

It checks all the boxes!

Because ''The Force'' entertained and didn't merely sell us a car, customers ''engaged'' with the VW brand.

Let’s examine VW’s “The Force” for effectiveness, not just entertainment value, with my “Good Ad Checklist.” Does it check all the boxes for a great ad? Or does it merely check all the boxes for a prestigious advertising award?