1962 Volkswagen Van "Be the first on your block"

Volkswagen ads were masters of flipping the script. Just look at this one. A van with every door and window open on a clean white background. It’s strange, even a little awkward—and that’s exactly why you stop and look.

The Marketing Trick at Play

VW turned “odd” into “ownable.” Instead of hiding the van’s quirky design, they put it front and center, then explained why those quirks made sense. The copy invites curiosity (“Why does it look like that?”) and rewards it with practical, clever answers.

Why It Works

• Curiosity gap: people want to resolve what feels unusual

• Contrast against “normal” car ads full of glamour shots

• Confidence in positioning—“weird” turns into “smart”

• Visual storytelling without clutter

Real-World Examples

• Apple’s “Think Different” made quirky creativity heroic

• Oatly’s “It’s like milk but made for humans” owned its weirdness

• Liquid Death leaned into absurdity to dominate canned water sales