“Think Small” - Volkswagen

What can athletic trainers learn from Volkswagen's “Think Small” marketing campaign (1959)

Context — The Volkswagen Problem

In post-WWII America, cars were big, flashy, powerful, and loud symbols of status.

Then came the Volkswagen Beetle — tiny, plain, slow, and German.

To most Americans, it was the wrong product at the wrong time.

But Doyle Dane Bernbach marketing didn’t fight that. They embraced it.

The ad was minimalist:

A tiny Beetle floating in a sea of white space

Simple, lowercase headline: “Think small.”

Honest copy about the car’s size, efficiency, and reliability

It broke every advertising rule at the time — and became iconic.

➤ Lesson for Athletic Trainers:

Embrace your authenticity. Don’t oversell, undersell with confidence.

Athletic trainers often try to sound like every other healthcare provider (“elite performance,” “cutting-edge care,” etc.), but your strength is honesty and relationship-based care.

Be the “Think Small” brand:

Emphasize reliability over flashiness.

Lead with humility: “We do the little things that keep you performing.”

Make your work human, not corporate.

Sometimes, small is trustworthy.

Think Small = “We do the unglamorous work that makes sports possible.”

The campaigns succeeded because they respected the audience’s intelligence.

They didn’t rely on exaggerated promises, they told the truth creatively.

Bad Marketing vs Better Marketing (Volkswagen Style)

❌ “We’re the best in sports medicine.”

✅ “We keep athletes healthy, one honest rep at a time.”

❌“State-of-the-art recovery.”

✅“Old-school care. New-school Science.”

❌“Guaranteed results.”

✅“We can’t promise you’ll never get hurt, but we’ll always have your back.”