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Timeless Ideas
Volkswagen 'Think small' 1959 print ad — a tiny Beetle floating in a large white page

Volkswagen — Think Small, 1959— DDB New York

Think Small

Brand:
Volkswagen
Agency:
Doyle Dane Bernbach
1959Classic PrintPrint advertisement

Timeless principle

If the product breaks the category convention, let the advertising break it too.

The idea

Turn the Beetle’s small size from an apparent weakness into its defining advantage.

Why it works

In an era of oversized cars and oversized claims, the tiny photograph and acres of white space made understatement impossible to miss. The layout embodies the argument before the copy begins. Honesty, wit and restraint turn an outsider into the intelligent choice.

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