# Iconic Car Tribute Ads The Volkswagen Last Wishes Ad Allows the Kombi to Take its Final Rounds By Jamie Danielle Munro | Published 2014-04-08 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/volkswagen-last-wishes References: [creativecriminals](http://creativecriminals.com/volkswagen/last-wishes) & [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXynxODC4eY) The [Volkswagen](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/porsche-x-vw-renndienst-idbuzz-bus) Last Wishes ad pays tribute to an iconic car: the Kombi. Otherwise known as a [VW](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/official-automotive-partner) Bus, the car has not been in production for years, so Volkswagen allows the little auto to pay tribute to all those who have been part of its life along the way. While it sounds absurd that a [car commercial could induce tears](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/john-lewis-2025), Volkswagen has achieved this effect. The personified car discusses all of its amazing passengers over its lifetime, such as a couple who took it on a worldwide trip, or a man who drove it down to the World Cup multiple times. At the end of the commercial, the car also goes to see the son of its creator, Ben Pon's child. Since this car has such deep emotional connections with many people, Volkswagen gets away with realistically portraying the Kombi as a real person. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.2/10 - Popularity: 24% | Activity: 63% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Iconic Car Tributes:** Brands can pay tribute to beloved, iconic cars to evoke nostalgia in their audience and create emotional connections with their brand. - **Personifying Products:** Brands can use storytelling techniques to personify their products and create deeper emotional connections with their audience. - **Nostalgia Marketing:** Brands can use nostalgia to tap into their audience's emotions and create a sense of familiarity and comfort with their brand. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Automotive:** The automotive industry can use iconic car tributes and nostalgia marketing to create emotional connections with their audience and showcase the heritage and legacy of their brand. - **Advertising:** The advertising industry can use storytelling techniques and nostalgia marketing to create emotional connections with their audience, which can lead to increased brand loyalty and customer engagement. - **Marketing:** The marketing industry can utilize nostalgia marketing to tap into their audience's emotions and create a sense of familiarity and comfort with their brand, leading to increased brand loyalty and customer engagement. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Childhood-Inspired Car Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/drive-pilot-story.md) - [Humorous Automotive Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/where-have-you-been.md) - [Vampiric Car Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mercedesbenz-immortal-love.md) - [Reality-Bending Car Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cargurus-latest-ad.md) - [Creative Auto Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/electric-capri.md) - [Retro-Style Electric Vans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/porsche-x-vw-renndienst-idbuzz-bus.md) - [Sci-Fi-Themed Cars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/volkswagen-2.md) - [Electric Microbus Charity Auctions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/id-buzz-virtual-auction.md) - [Unconventional Vehicle Control Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/heart-of-joy.md)