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27-DEC-2024 | Excerpt from VW’s “3 years to make the mechanic” Ad

Author

Dan Bogachek
December 27, 2024

Excerpt from VW’s “3 years to make the mechanic” Ad

It takes a week to make the car. And 3 years to make the mechanic.

Oh the difference between a bug and a man.

In just seven days a piece of steel evolves into a sturdy Volkswagen.

But only after three years does a raw recruit evolve into a bona fide Volkswagen mechanic.

It’s not an easy process.

He starts with a lowly doorknob and works his way up to the electrical system. (With an eagle-eyed supervisor over his shoulder.)

He takes every part apart. And puts back together again. Over and over and over.

Then we clock him.

If he does the right job in the right time, bully for him.

He does it again.

Only after he passes the test twice do we feel he’s mastered that part. And can go on to another. 🏁

  • Classic premise: man vs machine, or in this case man and machine. And with that premise, what follows is the quintessential zero-to-hero story.

  • Repetition/structural rhyming throughout. “Week to make the car… 3 years to make the mechanic,” “steel evolves into a sturdy Volkswagen… raw recruit evolve into a bona fide Volkswagen mechanic.” And the repeated 1-2’s starting with “He takes every part apart.”

  • Grade 1 on the Hemingway App. Average sentence is just over 8 words long. KISS!

Every hero has a coach — and here VW tells the story from the coach’s perspective. They throw tests at their mechanic until he becomes the real deal. The idea/claim planted in the very beginning: “VW mechanics are top shelf → VW = worry-free repairs.” The story is there to bring that initial seed to life in our imagination, all while entertaining us. Brilliant.

Zero-to-hero is one of the core human stories. It resonates so well because we see ourselves in the hero.

You glance at your watch.

It’s 6:28. You’ve been at it since 3.
Crap. Your hot date is at 7. Running late. Sink shower it is.
Nowhere close to done editing…

“…at least all the ideas are laid out, so there’s that. Did I miss anything? I don’t think so? Ok, but how do I make it flow? I need to get the final draft to Stacey for design asap, team cutoff is at noon Thursday…”

You’ve spent dinner completely distracted. Your date just took off. You go home exhausted, plod to your desk, and flip open the laptop.

Or… what if:

5:41 — you’re out of the shower and lip-syncing.
6:17 — dressed to the nines and zenned out.
7:03 — the sunset glints off your aviators as you smile hello.
8:36 — it actually feels like you’re hitting it off. Not just hot, funny to boot.
Next morning, 9:27 — final draft ready in your inbox.
10:31 — Stacey messages back, “thanks, looks good!”

The difference?

Copygloss handled it. Before you left for the date, actually.

For help with editing, email Dan:
[email protected].