Volkswagen, via ad agency DDB Stockholm, has become one of the few global brands to master the art of the viral ad campaign.

Its latest campaign, The Fun Theory ^[1], is based on the idea that people’s actions can be changed by something as simple as ‘fun’. Played out (and filmed) on an unsuspecting public, a set of subway stairs transformed into a walking piano and a ‘never-ending’ bin manage to dramatically change people’s typical behaviour for the better. And all of this with barely a reference to Volkswagen.

Entertaining, clever and subtle. Brilliant.

NB: many thanks to Anthill reader Doug Jacquier for bringing these to our attention.

World’s Deepest Bin

Piano Stairs

Bottle Arcade (in development – sneak preview)