Volkswagen will advertise in the Super Bowl for the first time since 2014. The ad from Johannes Leonardo will begin a yearlong campaign marking the German brand’s 75th anniversary of coming to America.
VW declined to share the length of the spot or in which quarter it will run.
The German automaker first entered the U.S. market on Jan. 17, 1949, making today its official anniversary date. The first model arriving on shore was the Type 1 vehicle, later known as the Beetle, which would go on to secure a permanent place in American culture.
Volkswagen of America discontinued the German-born Beetle in 2019, as more U.S. buyers gravitated to crossovers and SUVs. And while it is unusual—if not unprecedented—for a Super Bowl ad to prominently feature a product that is no longer sold, the brand is poised to use the reference to remind viewers the role that VW has played in U.S. culture.
VW teased the ad with a video depicting the Beetle’s early days in America when it was not universally accepted right away.