Fib-Telling Car Ads

These Ads for Volkswagen Use White Lies Told by Parents to Gain Trust

Volkswagen's 'Trust Campaign' uses white lies told by parents to build trust among the brand's consumers.

Parisian illustrators Tom Haugomat and Raphael Ghisalberti of the advertising agency DDB created the print ads. The artists used two-toned cartoons to ensure that the viewer's main focus was on the words. Each poster features a scene that is traditionally associated with childhood. One image shows a mother putting an odd hat on her son's as he leaves for school. The ad reads "It's not ugly, it's called fashion." Then, below each image, a second statement reads “If they lie to their kids, what would they tell you when they sell you their car?”

The tongue-in-cheek ads are essentially saying that parents are the most loving people on earth and that white lies are often meaningless. These ads attempt to gain consumers' trust by examining common relationships between children and their parents.

Trust-building Advertising
Opportunity for brands to build trust and engage consumers through creative and relatable advertising campaigns.
Emotional Storytelling
Growing trend of using emotional narratives and relatable experiences to connect with consumers on a deeper level.
Captivating Illustrations
Increasing use of visually stunning and attention-grabbing illustrations to enhance brand messaging and capture audience attention.

Who This Affects Most

Automotive
Disruptive innovation opportunity for automotive industry to employ unconventional advertising strategies that build consumer trust and emotional connection.
Advertising
Opportunity for advertising agencies to embrace creative storytelling methods and utilize captivating illustrations to create engaging campaigns for their clients.
Consumer Goods
Innovative opportunities for consumer goods companies to leverage emotional storytelling and trust-building advertising to differentiate their brands in the market.
SCORE
4.3 out of 10
GENDER
70% Men30% Women
MARKETTop markets: North America, Europe, Asia
GENERATION
  • Gen Z
  • Gen Alpha
  • Millennial (primary audience)
  • Gen X (primary audience)
POPULARITY
Popularity 81%
Activity 41%
Freshness 8%