How Volkswagen Stood Out in a Crowded Market 🚗 (Swipe File Example #2)

This breakdown is part of “The Ultimate Copywriting Swipe File”.For free access, like the article and comment “Swipe”!

🎯 The Goal of “Think Small”

Volkswagen wanted to promote a compact “Beetle” to American consumers.

It was 1959, and there were two big problems:

• Larger, flashier cars dominated the market.

• Post World War II, it was hard for a German company to penetrate the US market. The campaign’s goals included:

• Challenge the trend of bigger cars.

• Make the Volkswagen Beetle attractive to the American people.

👪 Who was the target audience?

• Practical & cost-conscious Americans.
• Skeptical people who didn’t trust flashy marketing.

😎 What made this copy stand out?

1. Going against the flow

Most car manufacturers focused on selling big cars, but Volkswagen decided to go the opposite way.

They targeted a “blue ocean” (AKA untapped market) of people who didn’t want a big car.

The marketing strategy reflected the product: a minimalistic ad for the simple car.

The “Think Small” ads contained a lot of white spaces and didn’t include many elements besides the car and the copy.

💡 Takeaway for copywriters: Avoid competition by finding your niche. Don’t be afraid to go against popular beliefs.

2. Being real & reframing weaknesses

Small cars have drawbacks. But instead of treating these drawbacks as weaknesses, VW did two things:

• They pointed out the disadvantages themselves: this action made readers trust VW more because they felt nothing was hidden from them.
• They reframed these as benefits: owning a small car also means paying less for insurance and getting into small parking spots. “Once you get used to some of our economies, you don’t even think about them anymore. Except when you squeeze into a small parking spot. Or renew your small insurance.”

💡 Takeaway for copywriters: Be real with your audience. Avoid hiding important facts. 💡 Takeaway for copywriters: Think about the product’s features and highlight the benefits for the reader. Do this even for the weaker parts of your product.

3. Using Humor

Another way Volkswagen stood out was by not taking themselves seriously.

In an era of very serious car ads, VW was able to laugh at the Beetle shortcomings and appeal to an intelligent audience who appreciated humor.

💥 The Impact of “Think Small”

The campaign’s success helped Volkswagen go from an outsider to a major player in the American market.

By the end of the 1960s, Volkswagen had become the top-selling imported car in the US, and the campaign inspired a new era of minimalist advertising.

📁 This quick breakdown is part of “The Ultimate Copywriting Swipe File.”

This swipe file:

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