VW Meets A-Ha with Deutsch LA

What if you didn’t have to worry about maintenance on your car? You might just feel like jumping into the classic 80s video “Take on Me”… well you would if you were the main character in the new Volkswagen spot from Deutsch LA and O Positive.

 

 

 

“Feeling Carefree” celebrates Volkswagen Carefree Maintenance, which offers no-charge scheduled maintenance on VW cars for the first two years or 24,000 miles. Because of the program, all the protagonist in the ad has to think about is driving the car he loves—and possibly dancing with a woman wearing 80s clothes.
 

 
The spot is a combination of stills, animated sequences and live action, just like the original A-Ha video, which broke new ground when it launched in 1985, winning six MTV Video Music Awards.
 

 
The spot was created using the same roto-scoping method as the original video – live action actors and the cars were filmed and then an animation was created over the original footage. This made for a different kind of shoot. Because we didn't have to worry about lighting and sound, we could simply shoot until we got the right angles.
 

 
The track is the original music from A-Ha. The ad was intended to pay homage to “Take on Me,” but isn't meant as a sequel or recreation; for example, the characters aren't intended to be the "Take on Me" actors.
 

 
“Feeling Carefree” was directed by David Shane, who shot Deutsch’s recent “Johnny Conquest spots” and notable work such as Bud Light's “Swear Jar.”
 

 

 
Client’s:
Volkswagen of America

 
Client Credits:

•    Interim Chief Marketing Officer: Wayne Brannon
•    VP, Marketing: Kevin Mayer
•    GM, Marketing Communications: Justin Osborne
•    Advertising Manager: Jeff Sayen
•    Advertising Specialist: Chanel Arola
 
Deutsch Creative Credits and Titles:

•    Executive Creative Director: Michael Kadin
•    Group Creative Director: Matt Ian
•    Creative Director: Mark Peters
•    Associate Creative Director: Ryan Scott
•    Director of Integrated Production: Vic Palumbo
•       Director of Content Production: Victoria Guenier
•       Executive Integrated Producer: Jim Haight
 
Production Company:
O Positive
48 West 25th Street, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10010

•    Director: David Shane
•    Executive Producer: Marc Grill
•    Line Producer: Ken Licata
 
Editorial Company:
Union Editorial
12200 W Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064

•    Editor: Jim Haygood
•    Assistant Editor:  Dylan Firshein
•    Executive Producer:  Michael Raimondi
•    Producer:  Joe Ross
 
Post Facility:
Company 3
1661 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404

•    Colorist:  Beau Leon
 
Animation/Visual Effects Company:
Passion Pictures
33-34 Rathbone Place London W1T 1JN

•    Head of Production:  Anna Lord
•    Executive Producer:  Alex Webster
•    Producer: Matt Saxton
•    Director:  John Roberston
 
Music/Composer:
“Take On Me”
Performed by a-ha
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc. & Sony/ATV Music Publishing
By arrangement with Warner Music Group Commercial Licensing & Sony/ATV Commercial Music Group
 
Sound Designer:

•    n/a
 
Audio Post:
Lime
1528 20th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404

•    Mixer:  Mark Meyuhas
•    Assistant:  Matt Miller
•    Producer:  Jessica Locke
 
Shoot Location:
Los Angeles Area
 
Additional Deutsch Credits:
 
§  Chief Executive Officer: Mike Sheldon
 
Account Management Credits:
 
§  Group Account Director: Tom Else
§  Account Director: Monica Jungbeck
§  Account Supervisor: Alex Gross
§  Account Executive: Tara Poosti
§  Assistant Account Executive: Mary Cherwien
§  Product Specialist:  Eddie Chae
 
Account Planners: 
§  Chief Strategic Officer: Jeffrey Blish
§  Group Planning Director: Susie Lyons
 
Legal/Broadcast:
§  Director of Integrated Business Affairs: Abilino Guillermo
§  Group Director Integrated Business Affairs: Gabriela Farias
§  Director or Broadcast Traffic: Carie Bonillo
§  Broadcast Traffic Manager: Courtney Tylka