Synopsis
Volkswagen present the many woes of the ‘celebrity accountant’, who has to patiently explain to his wealthy client that “a solid gold jet ski is not deductible” and an inanimate object can’t be claimed as a “dependent”. Finally, his client makes a purchase he can approve of — a VW Atlas Cross Sport, obviously.
Review
We love the direction of this ad, and that first jet ski gag raised a smile — but we’d have liked to see a few more imaginative examples of the client’s excesses before the final reveal. We go on about it a lot but we need ESCALATION, people!!
That being said, the ending ticked every box for us. Casting Succession’s Kieran Culkin as a shorthand for wealth and irresponsibility was a baller move, and presenting the “breakthrough” purchase as a false victory — upended by the punchline that the client has just arrived in Vegas to splash some cash — helps us forget we’re being sold to.
Like the car being advertised, this mini movie is solid and good looking. But we’d have loved to see a little more excess where it matters — in the comedy!
Entry Submitted By
White Label Comedy
This ad reached Number 6 in our round-up of the funniest commercials of 2020 so far.
