After two years on the market, the “totally redesigned” Jettas weren’t new anymore. It was time for a campaign that went beyond standard features.

We wanted to capture something more ephemeral: the pure experience of driving a Volkswagen.

One afternoon, I found myself writing haiku. Not about cars, but about the road itself—those small, perfect moments of American travel. The quick stop at a mini-market. The truck stop with the friendly waitress. The only gas station/grocery store in the county. 

We shifted our location from urban streets to the vast emptiness of West Texas. The cars were almost incidental, a tiny presence against the enormity of the landscape, yet somehow the main character in these road poems.

The campaign was another quiet rebellion against standard automotive advertising. Rather than shouting about horsepower, we whispered about freedom. 

Awards:

• Finalist, the 21st Annual MPA Kelly Awards.