Volkswagen rewrites your childhood with “VW PunchDub” campaign
Published March 18th, 2010 | 8 Comments
I swear, sometimes I see stuff and it really just makes me feel like I’m going insane. I walk a pretty fine line of sanity most days anyway, but there are times when people say things that is just completely inaccurate or changed up to fit their needs or whatever and I start to question if I’m the only one that sees it, like I’ve become Crowe’s character in A Beautiful Mind.
For instance, take a look at this VW commercial that was shown during the Super Bowl this year:
Um, so “PunchDub”? There is no such thing as “PunchDub”… or at least there wasn’t until this commercial came out. So the idea that there are a bunch of people, including Stevie Wonder, wailing on each other when they see ANY VW is just inaccurate.
Before you jump on me, check your memory… what you’re thinking of isn’t “PunchDub,” but most likely “Slug Bug” or “Punch Bug” or “Punch Buggy.” Coming back to you now? Yeah, you and your kid brother probably did it as a form of justifiable violence during the 60s and 70s, back when every little punch didn’t mean you were mentally unstable and needed to be drugged up.
I know it sounds like I’m a little late with this since this was a Super Bowl spot, but I’m being reminded of it daily because VW of Southern California is running radio spots for “Volkswagen PunchDub Days.” The radio spots are pretty much the same bit, and even throw in some manufactured nostalgia for the game that didn’t exist with a flashback to two brothers duking it out in the back seat. Every time I hear it, I feel my sanity slipping away a little because I can’t check with anybody by asking, “it was Slug Bug, right?”
I guess I just don’t understand why they felt they had to rename the whole game. I mean, the game actually was about one of their cars! Right? It’s not as if they softened the game up by taking out the punching, which would be totally expected these days. They just expanded it to include all of their cars, which is also fine, but you don’t get to tell me that it’s been around forever when it hasn’t.
I really wish advertisers would consider this stuff, then I wouldn’t have to take time from away from making dolls out of my co-workers’ hair to write up these postings.
Yours Truly,
The King of Prussia
Related posts you might enjoy:
- Ah, there it is. GoDaddy.com Super Bowl ad is banned.
- Pepsi Pulls Out of Superbowl
- I was afraid something like this would happen: Adweek names “Get a Mac” ads, “Campaign of the Decade”
- Super Bowl Ad Review: WHO DAT don’t know how to sell their brand?
- Ad Awesomeness: Lindsey Lohan sues E-TRADE for “milkaholic” crack
March 19th, 2010 at 12:23 pm (#)
Ah, but you miss the point. I love these ads. They make me think about my childhood (oh, I get it, you were the younger brother, and got beat up…I was the older brother and did the beating!!), and make me want to check out the VW again (not that I would – their reliability is just awful). But for those on the fence about VW, or just thinking about a new car, it gets them to at least check them out. Two check boxes: caught my interest, and makes me want to learn more. And, to top it off, there's no way you could confuse this brand in the commercial with absolutely any other one in the world! So, three check boxes in one commercial! Awesome.
March 19th, 2010 at 2:36 pm (#)
Sure, I get that, but it's done on completely false pretenses! There
was never a game where you hit people just for a VW, you did it with
the Beetle because it was rare. You do this game now and it's just
abuse…
And no, I was the older brother… And my kid sister could totally
take a punch..
J.
March 19th, 2010 at 2:43 pm (#)
Whine, whine, whine…bitch, bitch, bitch. You're just sore because you didn't think of it!
March 19th, 2010 at 3:10 pm (#)
Clearly we're going to settle this like men… Over a game of… Damn,
what's that game where you have the little ships on the board and you
try and sink them and then your opponent yells, “oh, you sunk my
battleship!”. I want to say, “Warboat”?
How about that one with your hands where you come up as either a rock,
paper, or scissors? What's it called? Stone, papyrus, and shears?
Dammit, my memory is just crap…
J.
March 19th, 2010 at 6:58 pm (#)
See, there you go…you've forgotten already!
April 8th, 2010 at 12:40 am (#)
I completely agree with Jeff on this one. It was 'slug bug' and I, too, was annoyed as hell when I saw the advertisement. In fact, I had no clue what they were talking about…when it clicked I was like, “What the hell?! Was that lost in German translation or something?”
Horrible, horrible, ad campaign. Pisses me off too, Jeff!! Though I am too stable either.
April 9th, 2010 at 9:19 am (#)
I like the uncut version of the ad where
Stevie's friend slaps him and says black one.
April 9th, 2010 at 3:19 pm (#)
I like the uncut version of the ad where
Stevie’s friend slaps him and says black one.