“Cars were fashion statements, testosterone boosters, muscles on wheels.” This advertisement for the Volkswagen lemon had been done in black and white ink on purpose. Colored pictures and ink were an option, but they chose not to make the ad that way to convey a sense of longevity that the beetle possessed. "No point in showing you the 1962 Volkswagen, it still looks the same." The whole idea behind the simplicity of the ad was to attempt to connect with the general public on a point of view that shared in their best interest. “When a brand’s personality complements our own, we form a friendship with it and give it our trust and loyalty.” Apart from the reasons behind the ad and its creation, it was highly controversial in relation to world war two and what had happened between the Axis powers and the Allied forces. Simplicity had been the key to selling the Volkswagen beetle, and the idea had came from Doyle Dane Bernbach. This Jewish company had been helping the German brand become recognized and famous. Countless others believed that the ad was a waste of time and that it would have little to no impact. On the contrary, it actually succeeded and helped push the mass production of the vehicle.
http://www.brandstories.net/2012/11/03/vw-beetle-story-lesson-in-brand-persona-development/
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1960-1969-volkswagen-beetle4.htm
http://designshack.net/articles/graphics/the-greatest-print-campaigns-of-all-time-volkswagen-think-small/
