Ok, so my newest form of homework distraction is stumbleupon.com. (If you have never been to this site, I'm going to be a bad influence and tell you to go there. NOW! Forget the mound of papers you've all ready accumulated in the first three weeks of school, go stumble! Fine, fine, attempt to be a good student first.) Anyway, I "stumbled" upon this video the other day. It's called "Piano Stairs."
I watched this video and thought the concept was really neat and a great way to get people to interact more with the world. Then I reached the end of the video and saw "An Initiative of Volkswagen." Wait, what?! Volkswagen?? There wasn't a single vehicle in the video. Not one 1960s Beetle talking into a microphone as the new generation of cars zip across the screen. So what is Volkswagen's association with this so call "Fun Theory?"
I looked more into the project by going to thefuntheory.com Prominently placed in the right hand corner is the "VW" logo, but that's the only indicator of the company. Volkswagen clearly doesn't want this site to feel like a sales push for their product. Yet, they are pushing something else. They are selling a company image. Think about it. The Volkswagen Beetle has always been associated with a "fun" lifestyle, somewhat laid back and carefree. One could make the argument that some of the VW commercials for it's other car models follow the same "fun" image (VW Rabbit, anyone?)
This company thrives on an image of "fun" in order to sell their cars. Once that's realized, it makes sense that they would go so far as to create a "Fun Theory" to emphasis their image. But hey, it works right? And everyone loves to have "fun!"
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
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That was so neat! VW is a "lifestyle" car, not only in how they brand it and market it, but also how they construct it. For example, they have a flower holder right next to the steering wheel for anyone that...well... wants to have a flower in their car. They make it so it's not just a car that you drive but... I guess a weird way of putting it... is to "have a life in".
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