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Volkswagen of America ads, 1960–68

Contributed by Nick Sherman on Aug 18th, 2012. Artwork published in .
“Lemon.”
Source: ateliertally.com License: All Rights Reserved.

“Lemon.”

One of the most iconic and popular ad campaigns of all time – the subject of a new book, Think Small: The Story of the World’s Greatest Ad.

From a 1968 interview with designer Helmut Krone:

Krone: […] The only thing different about [the Volkswagen ad layout] was its application to cars—and that’s different enough. I took traditional layout A, which had always existed: 2/3 picture, 1/3 copy, three blocks with a headline in between. But I changed the picture. The picture was naked-looking, not full and lush. The other small change was the copy, which was sans serif rather than serif.

Interviewer: And nobody’d ever done that before?

Krone: Not with that layout, no. It was an editorial look, but with sans serif type.

Interviewer: The look of the copy was very different. The use of “widows” which we spoke of once before.

Krone: I actually cut those “widows” into the first Volkswagen ads with a razor blade and asked Julian Koenig to write that way. I deliberately kept the blocks from being solid, and when I felt that a sentence could be cut in half I suggested it just to make another paragraph.

“Going, going…”
Source: www.greatvwads.com License: All Rights Reserved.

“Going, going…”

“£196.”
Source: www.greatvwads.com License: All Rights Reserved.

“£196.”

“It’s ugly, but it gets you there.”
Source: www.greatvwads.com License: All Rights Reserved.

“It’s ugly, but it gets you there.”

“Think small.”
Source: ateliertally.com License: All Rights Reserved.

“Think small.”

“Repair ’em? I’ve got enough parts to build ’em!”
Source: books.google.com LIFE Magazine, Feb 8, 1960. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Repair ’em? I’ve got enough parts to build ’em!”

“Impossible.” Car and Driver, Aug 1961
Source: www.flickr.com Scan by SenseiAlan. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Impossible.” Car and Driver, Aug 1961

“The 1962½ Volkswagen.”  Car And Driver, Mar 1962
Source: www.flickr.com Scan by SenseiAlan. License: All Rights Reserved.

“The 1962½ Volkswagen.” Car And Driver, Mar 1962

“Do you think the Volkswagen is homely?” Sports Car Illustrated, Nov 1960
Source: www.flickr.com Scan by SenseiAlan. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Do you think the Volkswagen is homely?” Sports Car Illustrated, Nov 1960

“Never.” Car and Driver, Nov 1961
Source: www.flickr.com Scan by SenseiAlan. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Never.” Car and Driver, Nov 1961

“Volkswagen overdoes it again: 4 coats of paint”, 1961
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Bart Solenthaler and tagged with “futura”. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Volkswagen overdoes it again: 4 coats of paint”, 1961

“Cheap new. Expensive used.”, 1962
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Bart Solenthaler and tagged with “futura”. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Cheap new. Expensive used.”, 1962

“What if you only need part of a Volkswagen?”, 1962
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Bart Solenthaler and tagged with “futura”. License: All Rights Reserved.

“What if you only need part of a Volkswagen?”, 1962

“That’s how many times we inspect a Volkswagen”, 1963
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Bart Solenthaler and tagged with “futura”. License: All Rights Reserved.

“That’s how many times we inspect a Volkswagen”, 1963

“Why does the Volkswagen have 4 forward speeds?” Car and Driver, Mar 1963
Source: www.flickr.com Scan by SenseiAlan. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Why does the Volkswagen have 4 forward speeds?” Car and Driver, Mar 1963

“Think it over, New York, Chicago, San Francisco”, 1963
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Bart Solenthaler and tagged with “futura”. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Think it over, New York, Chicago, San Francisco”, 1963

“Will we ever kill the bug?”, 1965
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Bart Solenthaler and tagged with “futura”. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Will we ever kill the bug?”, 1965

“No. It will not replace the bug.” Ad for the Volkswagen Fastback Sedan, 1965
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Bart Solenthaler and tagged with “futura”. License: All Rights Reserved.

“No. It will not replace the bug.” Ad for the Volkswagen Fastback Sedan, 1965

“Has the Volkswagen fad died out?” Readers Digest, Mar 1966
Source: www.flickr.com Scan by SenseiAlan. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Has the Volkswagen fad died out?” Readers Digest, Mar 1966

“Ugly is only skin-deep”, 1966
Source: www.flickr.com Scan by Bart Solenthaler. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Ugly is only skin-deep”, 1966

“The most economical thing about a VW is how long it’s economical.”, 1966
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Bart Solenthaler and tagged with “futura”. License: All Rights Reserved.

“The most economical thing about a VW is how long it’s economical.”, 1966

“We made the car go faster. And the engine go slower.”, 1966
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Bart Solenthaler and tagged with “futura”. License: All Rights Reserved.

“We made the car go faster. And the engine go slower.”, 1966

“They laughed”, 1966
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Bart Solenthaler and tagged with “futura”. License: All Rights Reserved.

“They laughed”, 1966

“Our beauty. Will it spoil the Volkswagen image?” Ad for the Volkswagen Fastback Sedan, 1967
Source: www.flickr.com Scan by Bart Solenthaler. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Our beauty. Will it spoil the Volkswagen image?” Ad for the Volkswagen Fastback Sedan, 1967

“Volkswagen introduces the automatic stick shift”, 1968
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Bart Solenthaler and tagged with “futura”. License: All Rights Reserved.

“Volkswagen introduces the automatic stick shift”, 1968

“We’ll never make it big.” postcard
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Alden Jewell. License: CC BY.

“We’ll never make it big.” postcard

“It’ll grow on you.” postcard
Source: www.flickr.com Uploaded to Flickr by Alden Jewell. License: CC BY.

“It’ll grow on you.” postcard

3 Comments on “Volkswagen of America ads, 1960–68”

  1. Dominik Imseng has written a book that includes an in-depth history of the “Think Small” ad, including many interviews.

  2. Dustin Hoffman starred in a VW TV spot during this era:

  3. Another book about this campaign, recommended by reader Joe Clark, is Remember Those Great Volkswagen Ads?.

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