VW: This is what the people want?

VW has a new "What the people want" site up that lets you (the people) say what you want via polls. Then Max, that clever '64 beetle chimes in from time to time as you vote. As I've said before, I'm not a big fan of this campaign. There's just no call to action. "The people want German engineering" (the tagline). Good, I'm still going to go buy a Honda (truth be told I actually own a VW, but it was bought long before this or any other campaigns of recent memory). Telling me what the people want is not an argument that's going to persuade me anytime soon. In fact, I'm more inclined to not want what everyone else wants, but that's more of a personal attitude.

I think my biggest problem with these ads is that there is a disconnect from the ads to the product. I know it's probably considered edgy or avant garde right now to not show the product (and use a '64 model instead), it's also a nice homage to the classic DDB VW ads of yesteryear, and the whole car-as-a-talkshow-host thing is arguably a fresh approach. But all of that doesn't make me want a VW, not in the least, and I think that part of the goal of advertising involved getting people to buy your product, last time I checked. So I'm sorry VW, the brand I want to love, and Crispin Porter + Bogusky, the agency I want to love, but this campaign is not what the people want.