Those
new Volkswagen television ads showing Jettas in realistic (and violent) crash scenarios appear to be working. VW
reports that since the ads launched three weeks ago, requests for brochures at call centers and on the web are way up,
and internet requests for price quotes have risen 59 percent.
Conventional wisdom would suggest
that portraying the cars in a negative situation could create the wrong image for the Jetta in the minds of consumers,
but so far car buyers seem to be taking the commercials as a safety wake-up call, and dealers are happy with the
results.
Not wanting to push their luck too far, Volkswagen plans to rotate in a new ad theme in a couple of
weeks. Meanwhile, the “Safe Happens” ads will continue to jolt TV viewers.
[Source: USA Today]