The captain of the US Men’s national team, Christian Pulisic, is the centre of attention in a brand new Volkswagen advertisement.
The German automakers have struck a three-year deal with the federation of US Soccer that allows them to build ads in and around the national players, keeping the core values of the brand at the front.
And that’s exactly what their latest advert is about. Titled, ‘Diamonds,’ the 60-second film features Pulisic at the helm and shows his journey briefly starting from his childhood when he learned to walk, to a pep talk from his coach when he was young, and his immediate impact on Borussia Dortmund and what he says to his therapist about his problems.
The film then manoeuvres onto the football pitch where Pulisic is standing over the ball, contemplating how to convert his penalty.
In a quick inter-cut, we see two professionals at a Volkswagen manufacturing unit discussing Pulisic’s next move and wondering whether he will succumb to ‘Pressure’ and one of them replies, ‘Pressure makes diamonds’ as we see a skeletal of a Volkswagen car being towed from one corner to the other.
This is the key word of the entire campaign — Pressure. The story was all about creating impact and focussing on the hero’s journey after reeling from immense pressure. The auto manufacturer has rightly used Pulisic’s story to launch its 2022 electric SUV, the ID 4 which is Volkswagen’s most popular all-electric model.
The ad was a simple attempt to showcase the company’s abilities to handle pressure and produce electric vehicles for a cleaner planet with reduced carbon emissions. By using Pulisic in the film, Volkswagen only established the credibility of the player as someone thriving under pressure and endorsing theirs as a planet-friendly company that, despite all the pressure, thrives on its electric vehicles.
The ad was received incredibly well by people all across the spectrum.
Volkswagen is on the right path with its aim, but with Pulisic’s tenure at Chelsea, there is much at stake. Even though Pulisic has been one of the biggest footballing exports from North America to Europe, it remains to be seen whether his best days are behind him or lie ahead.
‘Diamonds’ is expected to make its broadcast debut during the English Premier League on August 6.