{"id":5246,"date":"2011-03-30T11:31:23","date_gmt":"2011-03-30T09:31:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michael-hoepfl.com\/digital-world\/viral-video-volkswagens-little-darth-vader\/03-2011\/"},"modified":"2026-08-13T13:03:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T11:03:29","slug":"viral-video-volkswagens-little-darth-vader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michael-hoepfl.com\/en\/digital-world\/viral-video-volkswagens-little-darth-vader\/03-2011\/","title":{"rendered":"Viral Video: Volkswagen\u2019s Little Darth Vader"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Have you seen Volkswagen\u2019s commercial with the little Darth Vader? I first noticed the ad last week during a Star Wars commercial break on Pro7. At the time, I thought it had been produced specifically for Volkswagen advertising during Star Wars broadcasts. But that is not the case.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The commercial is part of a new Volkswagen marketing strategy aimed much more at the US market. The little Darth Vader was therefore first shown during the commercial break of the biggest US sporting event, the 2011 Super Bowl<\/a>. The idea came from the creative agency Deutsch<\/a>. The campaign is also covered on the VW blog<\/a>, where we learn that:<\/p>\n\n

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“these spots are part of a robust pre-launch advertising and marketing campaign that includes television, digital, experiential, and retail activations to maintain momentum throughout the year. Additionally, throughout pre-launch, Volkswagen will continue to dominate the nation\u2019s most prominent events, with buys and integrations that include The \u201cOprah\u201d Show, the NBA Finals as well as the NFL, among others.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

With almost 35 million views for the little Darth Vader, the campaign can at least be called a success in viral terms. A cost comparison between airing it during the Super Bowl and distributing it via YouTube is also interesting. The Super Bowl attracts more than 100 million viewers each year, and a 30-second spot is said to cost around three million dollars<\/a>. Distribution via YouTube, with around 35 million views by now, costs virtually nothing. Of course, the Super Bowl premiere certainly helped the clip become popular online so quickly.<\/p>\n\n

Here again are the clips VW had produced for the 2011 Super Bowl. Naturally, the cute little Darth Vader comes first. The second spot, \u201cBlack Beetle\u201d, is somewhat less well known. Enjoy!<\/p>\n\n

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