VW Passat: How a single spot can create a social phenomenon

This paper describes how one idea, ‘The Force’, created a social phenomenon. The single 30-second TV ad, which initially aired just once at the 2011 US Super Bowl, to launch the new VW Passat - a car that would not be available for six months, became the most viewed video ad globally in 2011 with over 50m views. Sales targets were surpassed, with 20,902 VW Passats sold, up 116% on last year and versus a 10% annual increase in US auto sales, delivering $213m in incremental revenue