Volkswagen promotes its range of vehicles with ‘Welcome to the Family’ spot via DDB Sydney
Volkswagen Group Australia and DDB Sydney have launched a multi-channel campaign showcasing the extensive range of models in their Australian portfolio.
Airing from this Sunday, the new campaign – ‘Welcome to the Family’ – tells the story of an extended family arriving to celebrate a traditional family get together.
The launch of the campaign coincides with Volkswagen celebrating 60 years of being in Australia.
Says Dylan Harrison, executive creative director, DDB Sydney: “The best Volkswagen work has always been a product experience elevated to a human experience. To communicate the vibrant diversity of all of the models in the Volkswagen family, creating an equally real family was irresistible.
“Add a dash of the Volkswagen take on life and we’ve produced a campaign we’re immensely proud of.”
Adds Jutta Friese, general manager, Marketing, Volkswagen Group Australia: “With nearly twenty models in the range, we believe there really is a Volkswagen for everyone. Our aim has always been to make Volkswagen engineering both relevant and loved by everyday Australians. We’ve had great fun bringing the Volkswagen family to life as we celebrate 60 years of being in Australia.”
The campaign will launch on Sunday with a 45 second TVC, extended interviews with the family and digital display.
Agency: DDB Sydney
Executive Creative Director: Dylan Harrison
Creative Group Heads: Steve Hall/Dan Seager
Agency Producers: Brenden Johnson/Leesa Murray/Gabriella Singh
Managing Partner: Nicole Taylor
Account Director: Stuart Baillie
Account Managers: Kim Friedlaender/Samantha Russo
Planner: Russ Mitchinson
Production Company: EXIT Films
Producer: Declan Cahill
Director: Greg Wood
DoP: Ginny Loane
Editor: Dan Lee
Editing Company: The Editors
Sound Design/Arrangement: Smith & Western
Media agency: Mediacom
Volkswagen Group Australia:
Jutta Friese – General Manager, Marketing
Peter Stewart – Brand Communications Manager
Loren Elsegood – Advertising Manager
47 Comments
Tough brief. Sweet solution. Well done.
Loved it. nice one.
Where’s bill and Bernice? Oh they were in the golf with the dodgy brakes that stopped dead in the fast lane of the M4 with the oil tanker behind them. They’re scraping them out of the ash tray. Nice one VW.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWgB-PbF9xM
Watch the clip. The music is identical. Clever pilfering.
Is the music the same because it’s the “animals came in two by two?
Doesn’t matter anyway it’s not clever enough, it’s annoying, it’s cheesey and doesn’t feel like a classic VW ad. It would of been better for Woolies or Coles.
Um you’ll find that song is public domain, you plonker as I’m assuming you’re the same person. But just in case you need an education here’s some light reading for you.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Johnny_Comes_Marching_Home
But the soft focus wobbly cam makes it feel fast.
No way. what a make-believe family. I really bought into the loveable Packed to The Rafters feel. No i didn’t. VW use to be good.
There are some ants that are going to be so pissed they’ve had their song pilfered by Nike and now VW.
Worldwide, for a number of years, there have been very serious issues with Volkswagen product quality control.
Fix them and ads like this will be more believable.
i love this
Nice one guys. Made me smile. Loved the music. This is a brief I’ve worked on for a couple of car brands, they all want an ad with the whole range in it, and your solution is by far the best I’ve seen. Well done.
Who’s singing?
Oy fernando t and the reaper:
“When Johnny Comes Marching Home” was written 150 years ago and is such a famous song is it not surprising that a couple of advertisers have used it in their ads since then? Clever pilfering? Poppyock and piffle you knobs. A menu for me and some crayons for fernando and the reaper!
Oy James:
A make-believe family? What in an ad? No way? Surely not??? Knob as well.
Oy Li:
The music was done by Smith & Western. Give them a shout if you want to know who the singer is.
Sounds like Lisa Mitchell
This commercial is enough to put me off VW for life. They have managed to acquire an image for European cool and quality in Australia, and are completely undermining it with with this tacky and irritating dirge.
Could you imagine Mercedes or BMW running a commercial such as this? Exactly.
Somebody at VW made a very bad decision. Just who is your target demographic? The old lady blowing out the candles? She probably likes it! How many VWs does she buy?
The lyrics are derogatory to seniors. How about a few nasties about the younger members of “the family”?
Love it, especially Nana’s sideways glance at the ”special friend”…havent laughed so hard in years!!
Can we see the words pls??
The singer for this commercial is Ruby Cooper – https://www.facebook.com/rubycoopermusic
Follow this link to like her on Facebook!!
All you whingers…. It caught your attention so it has had the intended affect… I think it is funny. Derogatory to seniors my eye… And they spoke about the dude who should have had the snip…he’s not a senior. I would really love to see the words to the song. Very good add, clever too.
As an advert it is aimed at the mass market of family purchases. It may not suit some elitists but the name of the company is Volks (People) Wagen (Car), eg car for the people. That was it’s design brief, that is its target market. Remeber offerings from Holden liunking football, meat pies and kangaroos to their product?
Peter wished he…??
Please tell us who sings the song, “Welcome to the family”?
I seem to remember a song about 3 German officers, strange how vw would want to relate to that one
I ABSOLUTLEY HATE this ad Everytime it comes on I mute the tv CANT STAND IT
Please can we have the words to the song?
I too hate the music used in the add. As soon as it comes on, I change the channel as words can not describe how much I hate it – this is quite possibly the most awful song I have ever heard.
Loren people that have different thoughts to you aren’t all nobs. You make one of yourself being unnecessarily abusive.
The tune is catchy…….but the ad less so.
Hard gig to cover a car brands range in an ad though.
Apart from “the family came in two by two/three by three” etc no-one in our family can understand what is being sung!!
This is EASY the worst ad on TV I mute it every time it comes on I hate it with a passion
My wife and I love the ad immensely! Great stuff
.
Smylee, As you “love the ad immensely” presumably you can understand the words, so can you please provide them as a comment?
Love this ad and it is relevant to my family as our parents have been married 60 years and most of us got together last week.
Love the singer she is so catchy but would love to know the words, especially the reference to Bradley’s special friend – I can’t quite make it out.
Awful, awful add. Find the music disturbing and switch channel as soon as it comes on. It manages to make Volkswagen brand cheap and tacky. Can’t imagine why anyone would buy a car on basis of an add like this. Epic fail.
Is the singer lisa Mitchell?
I can’t understand the lyrics in the song – all the words run into each other, and it annoys me. Apart from the “welcome to the family” line at the end, the song is uncomprehendable.
LOVE THIS AD! Makes me laugh everytime it comes on! It’s every typical family
Who IS the singer please?
I love this add, wouldn’t make me buy a VW but it’s amusing and has great music.
All you people that don’t like it stop whinging it’s an add.
I’m definitely not offended by any of references on age health or sexual preferences
Good work
Poor old Aunt May, eh?
Welcome to the Family
(to the tune of when Johnny comes marching home)
The family came in two by two hurrah hurrah,
Stella and her high heels too hurrah hurrah,
“Uncle Phil with his plastic hip, old Aunty May with the hairy lip”,
and nanna is meeting…… Bradley’s special friend
The family came in three by three, hurrah hurrah
needed to pee behind a tree, hurrah hurrah,
Uncle Jerry’s king of the pitch, Big old Barrys got a stitch,
Take a pew kids,……… grandads telling a yarn.
The family came in four by four, hurrah hurrah
Bring the cake, she’s starting to snore, hurrah hurrah
Peter wished he’d had the snip, screaming triplets the whole trip
Welcome to…….. the family
Ruby Cooper is perfect.
Horrific song. Horrific advert.
Makes me want to murder my family and torch my Passat.
VW what ever were you thinking?
Love this ad. l never mute this one.
Funny lyrics to a classic tune, clever,….just love it!!! 🙂
This is the best Australian ad on TV, I drive a Mercedes SLK and its almost convinced me to swap to Volkswagen. There range is stunning these days, they have some great models, and I cant stop singing that song. Nana, that look out of the corner of your eye when you clap it on Bradleys special friend is wonderful. Volkswagen and the people involved did a wonderful job. If only all ads were as good and as clever, keep it running.
Me again, just watched this ad about another ten times, had to mention the old Kombi van in the garage that you get a glimpse at the beginning, (nice nostalgic touch) this family really is faithful to the brand!!! One small grumble, under the extended interviews with the family, why was there not one with Bradley and his special friend?