VW uses cowboy story to tell tall tale about city


Chattanooga may be the Indian term for "rock coming to a point," but that point became a bit of a tall tale in the unveiling of Volkswagen's new Passat.

Behind the image of VW's new American-made midsized sedan shown at the North American International Auto Show last week, the mountains appear far higher than those of Lookout and Signal mountains.

Using digital manipulation, the taller Rocky Mountains of the West appear in the promotional photos behind the scenes of Chattanooga and the Volkswagen car.

The altered photograph helped introduce a short video in which two cowboys ride through the pristine mountains of Utah until they appear to stumble onto the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga -- all through the video magic of the German filmmaker, United Visions.

John Lionel Bandmann, the president of United Visions, said the fictional cowboys and mountains were used to highlight the "pioneer spirit" of Volkswagen and a distinctly "un-German" flair.

Bandmann said model introductions at auto shows are not just about showing the car and telling its details. During a filming of part of the video last year, Bandmann promised that the video would be a different type of presentation.

Guenther Scherelis, general manager of communications for Volkswagen in Chattanooga, said the video and altered photos were designed not just to gain attention in Detroit and Chattanooga but to showcase Volkswagen's American commitment to those around the world.

"The video also was seen throughout Europe and South America," he said.

In such areas, cowboys and the Rockies are often seen as among the most American of symbols.

Despite the altered background in the image of Chattanooga, Mayor Ron Littlefield said he was "extremely proud" to see the Chattanooga name take center stage in Detroit last week, whether or not area mountains grew in size or the Scenic City took on a more western flair.

To view the entire edition of 2011 Volkswagen Unveiled Click Here.


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