• by Tanya Gazdik , July 28, 2024

Volkswagen of America is enlisting actor Olivia Wilde to direct a new soccer-themed effort for the VW Atlas. 

“Water Girl” is Wilde’s first endeavor directing an automotive commercial. 

Debuting during the Olympics broadcast July 28 at 12:00 p.m. ET, the spot from Johannes Leonardo shows a little girl filling up 17 eclectic vessels with water and loading them into a Volkswagen Atlas.

Later, it is revealed that she is the “water girl” for her sister’s soccer team. 

Much like the Atlas, the hero and her cups are anything but conventional, in the best possible way, according to the automaker. 

With Wilde at the helm, the campaign was developed and created predominantly by a team of women, both on the creative and production side. 

In a male-dominated space, having a women-led team brings a freshness and authenticity to the advertising, not often seen or celebrated in automotive, according to the automaker. 

Ensuring that the work felt genuine, it was equally important to Wilde to portray the lead in a way that felt like she had been plucked directly from the real world, for the viewers to observe her in a special moment. 

As a brand that has always bucked convention, Volkswagen SUVs are made to do anything but fit in. Instead of typical car ads that highlight the features of a car, the spot harnesses real human storytelling, according to the automaker. 

This campaign will live across broadcast, digital/OLV and social.