By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
In a moment that demonstrated the pride and collaborative mindset of the Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) family, over 1 500 employees gathered at Plant Kariega before sunrise on a Thursday morning, 26 March, to form a human version of the iconic Volkswagen logo.
The striking visual pays tribute to the classic “VW You and Me” television advert from the 1980s, which is now being reimagined for a modern audience.
To bring the updated campaign to life, Volkswagen once again collaborated with long-time creative partner Ogilvy, previously known as Rightford, Searle-Tripp, and Makin, agency behind the original 1988 production.
The refreshed advert forms part of Volkswagen’s 75-year milestone in South Africa.
The original commercial, featuring nearly 3 000 employees from diverse backgrounds, symbolised unity and possibility at a time when the country had yet to transition to democracy.
It went on to earn widespread acclaim, including being named South Africa’s favourite advertisement of 1988 by Kantar Group’s Adtrack database and receiving a prestigious Loerie Award.
Bridget Harpur, Head of Marketing for the Volkswagen Passenger Car brand, says the message behind the advert remains relevant today.
“Although it was created in a different era, the spirit of advert still reflects who we are,” she said. Our teams continue to work together with pride and a shared commitment to quality.
“Celebrating 75 years of Volkswagen in South Africa made this the ideal moment to revisit and reintroduce that message.”
To produce the new campaign, a film crew spent three days at the Kariega plant capturing footage of employees in action.
The human logo formation—aligned with the existing Volkswagen spekboom logo planted by staff on Earth Day in 2021 involved nearly half of the company’s workforce. The advert also highlights individual employees and smaller teams, showcasing the people behind the brand.