Volkswagen to Premiere Two Spots During Super Bowl XLV

While everybody is getting ready for the Super Bowl XLV, Volkswagen took the time to squeeze in the news that it will premiere two 30 second spots during the 2nd and 4th quarters of this great event. The ads will showcase two new vehicles, the all-new 2012 Passat and the 21st Century Beetle, offering a preview before they arrive at dealerships this fall.

These spots are part of a pre-launch advertising and marketing campaign that will continue with buys and integrations that include The "Oprah" Show, the NBA Finals as well as the NFL, among others.

The all-new 2012 Passat ad, "The Force," will be centered around Star Wars, featuring a pint-sized Darth Vader, who uses the Force when he discovers the all-new vehicle in the driveway.

In "Black Beetle," the first spot for the 21st Century Beetle, a photo-real lush kingdom is created where the Black Beetle rules, runs, navigates and outperforms all the other creatures. With the fast-paced and explosive song "Black Betty," rerecorded by Jon Spencer and the Blues Explosion, the Beetle ad is an homage to some of the greatest car chase scenes in the history of film and TV.

"The iconic shape of the Beetle and its place in pop culture gives us creative license to take a bold and unconventional approach in this spot where viewers only see the silhouette and not the car itself," said Tim Ellis, Vice President of Marketing, Volkswagen of America. "Additionally, we've partnered with Lucasfilm for the all-new Passat ad, leveraging the emotional heritage of both Star Wars and Volkswagen to create a memorable moment on an unparalleled platform for two of the vehicles most important to Volkswagen's growth strategy."