They Spent Millions to Mock Their Target Market

Imagine dropping a couple million dollars to parody one of your key demographics in a TV spot. Now imagine trying to sell that idea to your client, your manager, the CEO, the board. 

That’s what Volkswagen did with their iconic “The Californians” spot on SNL’s 50th Anniversary special. Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, and Fred Arnisen reprised their roles from the long-running soap-opera parody that featured the VW I.D. Buzz instead of Stuart’s home. 

What made me laugh the most (besides Stuart trying to say, “What are you doing here?”) has always been that half of the skit is about traffic. And it’s so true. Having just moved to the Los Angeles area, half of my thoughts now are about the best way to get somewhere. You quickly learn to avoid the 405 even before the Getty and instead take Sepulveda from Sherman Oaks.

This isn’t one of those “laugh with them” situations, they’re making fun of Californians, and we love it because we get to laugh at ourselves. This lightheartedness plays perfectly into the spirit of the I.D. Buzz. 

Planned Well Ahead

Planning the tie-ins for the 50th Anniversary show began in 2023 In Variety, Mark Marshall, chairman of NBCUniversal’s global advertising and partnerships unit said “So many CMOs I talk to continue to say they want to do fewer, bigger, better integrations, and in order to do that, you really have to start earlier.”

The final scene of the VW I.D. Buzz driving up the California coast

The great thing about the Volkswagen ad is that it sells the car hard as part of the Southern California lifestyle. The seats are compared to the California lounge chairs that Stuart often references and you’ll find the classic mirror pose. The car even gets a reaction shot of its own. 

You know you’ve hit the mark when your target audience responds in character in the comments, as @nfv204 said on YouTube: “STOP SPREADING LIES SNL!  The PCH is closed at Santa Monica due to the fires. Stuart would need to take the 5 to the 405 to the 101 then exit Kanan to reconnect to the PCH to get to Point Dume where this is filmed.  WUUUUHT ERRRRR YOUUUUU DOOOING?”

Targeted at Their Demographic

The market for the I.D. Buzz is upscale baby boomers, Gen Xers, and even Millenials who want a nostalgic nod to the flower-power past, but in an eco-friendly and slightly more powerful package. It’s an EV with modern refinements and safety features. Car and Driver called it “...a fun throwback that incorporates new tech.”

Variety also points out that “SNL has long had a complex relationship with advertising. Advertisers covet the big, simultaneous crowds flocking to the screen to watch it, even as they recognize that there will be times when the show may make fun of them.” Creator and Executive Producer, Lorne Michaels has always protected the program from being seen as just an advertising billboard.

Because this spot probably cost millions to produce and air, this took courage at many levels. The creative team had the audacity to pitch it, somebody had dared to sell it to upper management who had the backbone to pitch it to the board, who had the guts to approve it. Honestly, that is a unicorn situation. Whenever you see a great ad that’s a little risky, you know more than one person put their neck on the line. 

The result was the perfect collaboration between VW and SNL. The spot captures the fun, getaway spirit of the old bus, yet it covers many of the cool features in a way that remains true to the original skits (having fun with California recliners, crazy driving directions in LA, and the mirror). And if you haven’t seen it, you can enjoy it here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_0EPOLxa1Y