VW’S ADVERT CONTINUES THE BRAND’S FINE TRADITION

Originally written by Deputy Editor Brendan Seery for the citizen.co.za  published on 22 May 2021

Many a newlywed – man or woman – has suddenly come face to face with the other side of romance and love … that if you settle down with someone (married or not), they come with baggage. And that baggage is called family.

It can be overwhelming or frustrating and can even bust up a couple … but in the end, deep down, no matter how wacky family is (and they are), it is really the most important thing. As befits the bedrock of society.

That’s the message from Volkswagen’s latest ad, for its Tiguan SUV – and which continues the brand’s fine tradition of managing to home in perfectly on a basic human truth and live up to their name as being “people’s cars”.

So, we see what is clearly a newly together young couple, off to see his extended family for his mother’s birthday. Right at the start when mama insists in taking the front seat, we know this is going to be a baptism of fire for the family newbie.

When she arrives at the man’s family’s house (clearly they are doing well), she’s met with a cacophony of noise from screaming, running kids and then a frenetic kaleidoscope of family odds and ends, from the busybody aunties to the party-animal uncle.

Then the young woman flees to the Tiguan for a break – and finds her father-in-law sitting there. He laughs and assures her that, crazy though the family may be, he wouldn’t change them for the world.

“Yes, baba,” she responds – before heading back in with him to acceptance from all around. The ad closes with a shot of the Tiguan and the tagline “Family has never looked this good”.

As another in a long line of great, family orientated commercials, this one wins an Orchid for VW as well as Egg Films and director Zwelethu Radebe.

VW made quite a thing about the fact that the ad was shot entirely in isiZulu. So what? Even without the sub-titles, this is your typical South African story.

Check out Zwelethu’s showreel or contact kerry@eggfilms.tv / colin@eggfilms.tv at Egg Films for more info.