When I first saw the The Force: Volkswagen Commercial (https://youtu.be/R55e-uHQna0), I thought that whoever came up with the idea was brilliant. The commercial appeals to multiple generations. So many of us were Star Wars fans when we were younger and many of us continue to be today. When the commercial came out, I remember thinking about the timeliness of its release, as I believe it was around the time that Disney acquired the Star Wars "empire". While I am sure that the intended audience is anyone who may be in the market for a car in the near future, I think that they are also appealing to children, which in turn gets the parents’ attention.
I'm not sure if everyone feels the same way that I do, but I really relate to the kid that's trying to use the force. I remember trying to do something like that when I was that age. And his reaction when he thinks that the force is working makes me think of what it feels like to believe in magic. Clearly, the commercial's goal is to sell cars, but I think that there's more to it. I think that they want us to associate the brand with that feeling of magic. I don't think that any other medium could have conveyed that feeling as well as video does, although I think that the music plays an important role. I watched the video without the music, and it does not evoke the same sort of feeling. I find it interesting, though, that such a menacing soundtrack could convey such a positive message. I think it may have something to do with the music’s juxtaposition in relation to the kid, the flowing cape, and the oversized Darth Vader helmet.
I think that there is also an interesting parallel between a movie trailer for an upcoming release of some sort of blockbuster film and this commercial for the “All New Passat”. Did they employ the kind of director who traditionally works on movie trailers? Or were they simply trying to generate hype similar to what a movie trailer would? Whatever their motivation, the end result was an entertaining short that appeals to a large audience and, in the end, effectively weaves the car into the story and creates a positive association with the brand. It’s brilliant!
I remember this commercial and I love it. Like Maria, it brings me right back to my childhood. I remember putting on countless magic shows that my poor mother had to watch. I remember believing in magic and I feel this commercial successfully brought adult viewers right back to their childhood as well.
ReplyDeleteThe commercial has an element of suspense to it brought on by the use of the music. I remember trying to figure out what the commercial was selling. In fact, I do that a lot and sometimes after the big reveal, I am left confused. I often don’t see the connection between the story and the product. However, this commercial did not leave me with that feeling. In a way, I felt satisfied. It was nicely done.
I also enjoyed the sense of family that the commercial conveyed. It showed two parents nurturing the imagination of their young child.
Maria, I like how you pointed out that you watched the video without music to see if it really played as crucial of a role as you thought it did. I totally agree with you and think that is a great point that you made. I think that if I was in another room while that commercial was on, I would probably run in to see what was going on! The music definitely helps draw the viewers in and builds suspense as to what is going to happen. As a person who couldn't care less about Star Wars, I did still think the commercial was engaging and it gave me a good sense about Volkswaagen.
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