The Dog Strikes Back: Volkswagen Super Bowl XLVI Commercial

Posted: 01 Feb 2012 09:03 AM PST

VW SuperBowl 46 Beetle 020112

Volkswagen of America, Inc. revealed its new Super Bowl XLVI commercial today on its YouTube® channel. Viewers can catch a sneak peek of a special, extended 75-second spot online, with the 60-second version of the ad running in the second quarter of the Big Game. This is the third consecutive year that Volkswagen has advertised on Game Day.

“This is a perfect opportunity for Volkswagen to celebrate with the fans that have made 2011 such a record-setting year for the company,” said Tim Mahoney, Chief Product and Marketing Officer, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “This year’s commercial will build on Volkswagen’s ability to tell human stories simply while continuing to build on the brand’s momentum in the year ahead.”

Volkswagen’s 2012 Game Day commercial, “The Dog Strikes Back,” features a story of an adorable dog named Bolt who is inspired to whip himself into shape by the power and performance of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle. The unexpected final moments are a sly wink toward the Star Wars™ theme of Volkswagen’s 2011 Game Day commercial “The Force,” which became a pop culture phenomenon and has nearly 50 million views on YouTube to date. The theme of the commercial is “Back. And better than ever,” which illustrates the success and momentum that the Volkswagen brand is enjoying in the U.S.

Volkswagen’s 2012 Game Day campaign kicked off with a teaser distributed in mid-January, entitled “The Bark Side,” featuring a choir of dogs barking along to Star Wars’ “Imperial March”. The teaser quickly became an Internet sensation, garnering over ten million views to date on YouTube. The “Imperial March” is the same John Williams’ composition used last year in “The Force.”

Following the success of last year’s advertisement, Volkswagen and Deutsch LA teamed up with Lucasfilm again to end the latest spot with a surprise twist. The final 15 seconds take place in the iconic Cantina introduced in Star Wars Episode IV, complete with a special appearance by none other than Darth Vader.

“We believe this spot underscores the Volkswagen brand’s unmatched advertising legacy. It manages to highlight the redesign and performance of the Beetle with the lighthearted touches that viewers expect from the VW brand,” said Mike Sheldon, CEO, Deutsch LA, Volkswagen’s creative Agency of Record.

The new ad is part of a multi-faceted campaign for the Big Game, featuring digital and social media activations such as a takeover of ESPN mobile and the YouTube homepage. In mid-January, Volkswagen launched a “Big Game” tab on Facebook that serves as a one-stop shop for all things related to the game, including The Bark Side teaser, the early online release of the ad, an “Intergalactic Invite” allowing users to send Star Wars themed party e-vites to friends for the Big Game, and more.

- Volkswagen of America

Volkswagen returns to Super Bowl XLVI

You're reading The Dog Strikes Back: Volkswagen Super Bowl XLVI Commercial originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.

Gallery: 2012 BMW Performance 200

Posted: 01 Feb 2012 06:24 AM PST

ONEIGHTURBO

Rebel Rock Racing, 2012 BMW Performance 200, Daytona

The 2012 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season started with a bang at Daytona International Speedway on Friday as a three-lap sprint to the finish made for a thrilling finish. In the end Billy Johnson and co-driver Jack Roush Jr. were able to hold off a trio of Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3s to score Roush Performance’s first career win at the 3.56-mile speedway.

Defending ST champion Kinetic Motorsports and drivers Andy Lally and Nic Jonsson maintained the lead with three laps remaining in ST, but i-Moto driver Pierre Kleinubing was able to get by the No. 10 Kia and hold off a last lap charge from Jonsson to give i-Moto its second consecutive class victory by a margin of only 0.021 seconds. Co-driver Jayson Clunie moved the No. 31 Mazda Speed 3 through the field from the 38th starting position in the opening stint.

Charles Putman and Charles Espenlaub finished second in GS in the No. 48 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3, followed by teammates Bryan Sellers and Mark Boden in the No. 46 Fall-Line M3.

Gregory Liefooghe and David Levine finished third in ST for BimmerWorld Racing.