Volkswagen's "Driver's Wanted" ad campaign Case Study

Question: What made the "Drivers Wanted" campaign so successful? What did the campaign try to motivate the consumer to do? What measures prove that the campaign was successful? What did it do to the consumer's perception of the brand? Looking back, Volkswagen's decision to switch advertising agencies--from DDB Needham to Arnold Communications (AC)--was a critical step in the company's comeback bid. After all, AC was the one who came up with the "Drivers Wanted" …

…did begin to improve, and sales began to rebound in 1995 and 1996. Volkswagen sold 137,885 cars in 1997 alone, which was a 178% increase from their annual 1993 sales figure. The "Drivers Wanted" campaign had helped Volkswagen reestablish a relationship with consumers and changed consumers' perceptions of Volkswagen from an unreliable car of poor quality to a dependable car that offers more than just a means of transportation--it offers freedom to be you and the most pleasurable driving experience possible.