This 1960s Volkswagen Beetle ad is one of the boldest headlines ever printed: “Lemon.” It flips a negative word into a trust-building masterpiece.

Marketing Breakdown

The ad admits flaws upfront—then uses that honesty to show VW’s intense quality control. Instead of bragging, it tells a story of rejection and inspection. That twist builds credibility fast.

Why It Works

Grabs attention with contrast and surprise
Builds trust through transparency
Turns a weakness into proof of quality
Leverages storytelling, not hype
Uses simple, clean design to focus the message

Real-Life Examples

Domino’s admitted its pizza “sucked” and sales grew 14% after the rebrand.
Aldi shows its low prices upfront, framing thrift as smart.
Dyson highlights its 5,000 failed prototypes to prove innovation.

Creative Variations

Always Be Launching Quote

Command Palette