(a bug’s life)
VOLKSWAGEN’S BEETLE
GETS EVEN SMALLER AND WINS BIG AUDIENCES
Volkswagen’s Pull and Go New Beetle has seized the
market’s attention and isn’t about to let go anytime
soon. What began as a simple promotion for the
launch of the redesigned Beetle has grown into a
marketing gimmick of Rolls Royce proportions.
The idea for a pull-and-go toy was born in Germany
amid the Beetle’s car designers, who tossed around
ideas for a fun promotion that would add a dash of
pizzazz to their highly anticipated launch. Their idea
for a toy car made its way to Hartmut Warkuss, direc-
tor of Design Center of Excellence, Volkswagen Design
Studio in Braunschweig, Germany, who so loved the
idea that he approved it for production on the spot.
As a result, moving the car from concept to reality was
unusually fast—not at all the norm for typical promo-
tions, but this car was far from typical. “The head of
design wanted it done so it was a very speedy deci-
sion,” says Karla Waterhouse, public relations special-
ist in Volkswagen’s Detroit office.
Volkswagen’s designers, accustomed to creating per-
formance automobiles, fashioned the look of the toy
car in-house and sent it to various toy manufacturers
around the world for production. When the day came
to launch the new Volkswagen Bug, the toy cars were
featured giveaways in dealerships and were given
free to members of the press, drawing nearly as much
attention as their full-size counterparts.
Unique to this bug’s story is that its life didn’t end
after the launch. Volkswagen continues to use the toy
as giveaways for other promotions, distributing them
primarily as media gifts—they recently included the
toys in Easter baskets prepared as promotional gifts
for the press.
Fortunately, you don’t have to possess a press badge
to get your hands on this appealing promotion. The
palm-sized car, available in six colors—yellow, black,
blue, red, silver, and metallic green—are sold for $5 in
dealerships as well as through
Driver Gear
magazine,
a publication for Volkswagen owners. The car manu-
facturer has also sold the toys at its booth during
Detroit’s annual auto show, donating all the proceeds
to Detroit’s Children’s Hospital.
“Executives love them,” says Waterhouse of the toy’s
appeal. “They keep them on their desk and drive them
around during lulls in meetings.”
Did this promotion work? “Yes,” says Waterhouse
without hesitation. “It was a success and still is a suc-
cess. The cars are still being produced. It’s a low-cost
item that appeals to a lot of people,” she adds, noting
that the cars are intended as an adult toy and are not
suitable for children under the age of three.
CLIENT:
Volkswagen
DESIGN F IRM:
Volkswagen Design Studio
DESIGNER:
Hartmut Warkuss
CAMPAIGN R UN:
Ongoing
TARGET MARKET:
Media, Volkswagen enthusiasts
Graphic Design That Works
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ABOVE: “Pull it back and
watch it go,” proclaims
Volkswagen’s
Driver
Gear
catalog, which
showcases the 1-inch
toy that sells for $5.
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