Tag: Volkswagen Beetle

Volkswagen Beetle: Slowmercial

A lot of people fast-forward TV commercials when watching time-shifted shows. So Volkswagen took the opposite approach and made a TV commercial that is deliberately slow and almost static, so it still communicates even at high-speed playback.

The idea is simple. When the spot is fast-forwarded on a TV recorder, it collapses into something that feels like a print ad. A single, readable message. A clear product reveal. No complicated storyline to miss.

A tv spot designed for 8x speed

This is not “slow motion” for cinematic drama. It is time engineered as a media format. The frames are composed to hold meaning when they blur together, and the copy and visuals are built to survive the exact behavior viewers use to avoid ads.

In DVR-heavy TV markets, the remote control is the real media buyer.

Why it lands

It respects the viewer’s habit without pretending it will change. Instead of trying to stop skipping, it designs for skipping. That creates a rare feeling of cleverness, because the ad meets you where you are, and still gives you a complete message.

The deeper lesson is that “attention” is not binary. If you can make your message legible in partial attention, you can still win.

Business intent: keep the message intact

The intent is straightforward. Protect the core benefit and the product impression in a world where traditional 30-second storytelling gets shredded by fast-forward. The slowmercial approach makes sure the Beetle remains visible and understandable, even when the viewer refuses to watch properly.

What to steal

  • Design for the behavior, not the ideal. If people skip, build a format that works while skipping.
  • Make one message unmissable. One benefit. One visual proof. One clean takeaway.
  • Borrow from print discipline. Composition, hierarchy, and legibility beat complexity.
  • Assume partial attention as default. Build creative that degrades gracefully instead of collapsing.

A few fast answers before you act

What is a slowmercial?

A slowmercial is a TV ad designed to work even when viewers fast-forward. It uses ultra-slow pacing and print-like composition so the message remains readable at high playback speeds.

Why does fast-forward turn this into a print ad experience?

Because fast-forward compresses time and removes nuance. If the creative is built around stable frames, clear typography, and a single message, the compressed playback still delivers a coherent visual and idea.

When should a brand use this approach?

When you know a meaningful portion of viewing happens time-shifted, and when the ad’s job is to deliver one clean message rather than tell a complex story.

What is the biggest creative mistake with “anti-skipping” ideas?

Over-engineering. If the concept requires explanation, it fails. The viewer must understand the message instantly, even in partial attention.

What metrics matter for this kind of creative?

Ad recall under time-shifted viewing, brand linkage, and message takeout. If you can test it, compare recall for normal-speed versus fast-forward exposure.

Volkswagen Beetle: Juiced Up

A billboard looks normal until you point your phone at it. Then the Beetle “juices up” into a 3D scene that spills out of the frame, turning a static poster into something you can explore.

That is the twist behind Volkswagen’s Beetle “Juiced Up” launch, created with Red Urban. Traditional out-of-home placements like billboards and bus shelters double as augmented reality markers. Download the custom app, scan the printed ad, and a 3D experience unlocks on your screen.

An AR marker is a printed visual pattern that a camera can recognize. When the app detects it, it anchors digital 3D content to the real-world poster so the animation appears to sit on top of the physical ad.

In large automotive launches, the best out-of-home work turns “I noticed it” into “I did something with it”, without asking people to learn a new behaviour.

Why AR markers work so well in out-of-home

Out-of-home already has the two things AR needs. Scale and repetition. People pass the same placements multiple times, which makes it easier for curiosity to build. Once someone scans, the experience feels like a hidden layer you only get if you engage.

The other advantage is perception. A revamp is hard to communicate through copy alone. A 3D reveal makes the “newness” feel more tangible, even if the viewer only plays for a few seconds.

What this launch is really optimizing for

This is not just about feature education. It is about reframing the Beetle’s personality and making the redesign feel more assertive and contemporary. The app is a proof device. It says “this is different” by behaving differently than a normal poster campaign.

What to steal for your next OOH-led activation

  • Make the trigger obvious. A single prompt, scan here, is enough. Let the payoff do the persuasion.
  • Anchor the interaction to the medium. If it is out-of-home, the phone should feel like a lens on the poster, not a separate experience.
  • Keep the first moment fast. If the 3D reveal does not land immediately, the novelty collapses.
  • Design for “I have to show you”. The best activations create a demo impulse that spreads in person.

A few fast answers before you act

What is “Volkswagen Beetle: Juiced Up”?

It is an out-of-home launch activation where Volkswagen posters and billboards act as AR markers. A dedicated mobile app unlocks a 3D Beetle experience when viewers scan the ads.

Why use AR markers instead of a standard QR code?

Markers make the poster itself the interface. That keeps the experience visually seamless, and it helps the 3D content feel physically attached to the real ad.

What is the main benefit of this approach for a product revamp?

It makes “newness” experiential. A 3D reveal can communicate attitude and redesign energy faster than a feature list.

What is the biggest practical risk with AR OOH?

Friction. If the app install and scan flow is slow, most people will not complete it. The reward has to justify the effort quickly.

What is the simplest way to improve completion rates?

Reduce steps and increase immediate payoff. Clear instruction at the poster, fast recognition, and an instant 3D moment that feels worth showing to someone else.