We featured Volkswagen work from Deutsch Los Angeles in this space as recently as last Wednesday, but this new VW spot from DDB London has pushed its way to the front of the pack as well.
In an advertising universe full of doofus dads, it's remarkable that more brands don't run in the opposite direction. There's certainly a market that feels starved for inspirational images of fatherhood. This new 90-second spot more than delivers in that department, presenting a dad's adoring relationship with his daughter, from her birth, through first years, to her first date, and finally to the day when he hands her off—not to a husband but to a Volkswagen Polo. ("Small but tough" is a better description for a car than a husband, anyway.)
Fathers and daughters tend to make a good team in safety-focused auto spots. Look no further than Carmichael Lynch's masterful "Baby Driver" spot for Subaru, with the father instructing his little girl to be safe on the highway—an ad that was nominated for an Emmy last year. This VW spot, which premiered during this weekend's airing of Britain's Got Talent, is more straightforwardly emotional—the heartstrings plucked in particular by the soundtrack, which is an original and new composition by the music house Sniffy Dog.
Mother's Day is so yesterday (in the U.S., anyway). Now, it's all about the run-up to Father's Day. This spot kicks things off nicely.
CREDITS
Client: Volkswagen
Agency: DDB, London
Executive creative director: Jeremy Craigen
Copywriter: Tom Chancellor
Art director: Luke Flynn
Production company: Pulse Films
Directors: Thirtytwo (Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern)
Music: Sniffy Dog