Volkswagen
Inducted in 2000

Volkswagen has always been different and proud of it.

From the moment the first Beetle hit American soil in 1949, the company has challenged conventional ways of thinking about automotive design and automotive marketing.

In a time when big, heavy gas-guzzlers ruled Detroit, the Beetle was a small, simple, quirky alternative to the mainstream. Its defining shape gave it instant recognition. And, beginning in 1959, the car's now legendary advertising gave it lasting heart.

The early breakthrough Volkswagen creative was unlike anything the automotive advertising world (or, in fact, the advertising world in general) had ever seen. Its stark black-and-white photography and self-deprecating copy were a grand departure from the industry norm of glamorized illustrations and inflated sales pitches. Like the Beetle itself, the work was simple, direct, honest and different. Our industry was proud of it, and it made consumers proud to buy Volkswagens.

Volkswagen sold two cars in 1949. In 1970, they sold nearly 570,000. And by 1972, the Beetle had broken the previous world production record set by the Model T.

In the years that followed, Volkswagen complemented, and eventually replaced, the Beetle with an ever-growing collection of honest, sensible automobiles that appealed to America's sense of individuality. The originality of Volkswagen's vehicles proved to smart consumers that they could actually keep up with the Joneses by spending less, not more. And buying a Volkswagen made it okay to be different.

Today's Volkswagens still exemplify that spirit. Volkswagen builds cars that combine advanced German engineering with unique design. They're made for people who are honest, real, young-at-heart and down-to-earth - people who don't want to waste money on a badge or settle for the common denominator.

Put simply, The Volkswagen brand is still different and proud of it.

In 1995, Volkswagen launched the "Drivers wanted" marketing platform with this simple idea in mind. The work reminds people that although the world is filled with isolating technology and slick sales pitches, Volkswagen is still honest, real, connected and a bit left-of-center. It's about feeling more, experiencing life and driving hard.

Since the introduction of "Drivers wanted," sales have soared along with several other measures of brand strength. And the launch of the New Beetle as Volkswagen's brand magnet in 1998 was among the most exciting automobile introductions in memory.

By being true to its positioning, staying focused and taking measured risks along the way, Volkswagen established itself as one of the truly great brands in the world.