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Volkswagen “The Bark Side” 2013

Volkswagen “The Bark Side” (2013) is a Volkswagen commercial directed by Keith Schofield for Deutsch, produced by Caviar. It won 3 awards, including D&AD 2013 Film Advertising Crafts: Use of Music for Film Advertising Yellow Pencil and Clio 2012 Bronze — Film / Sound Design.

A choir of dogs barks and howls the Imperial March from Star Wars, with one dog dressed as Chewbacca and another as an AT-AT walker.

Video: Keith Schofield on Vimeo

Shot by shot

  1. A group of dogs of various breeds and sizes are sitting on white pedestals in a sterile, all-white room, looking up and barking.© Volkswagen0:00
  2. A group of dogs of various breeds and sizes are sitting on white pedestals in a bright, minimalist white room, barking and howling.© Volkswagen0:01
  3. A white bulldog with black patches around its eyes barks, looking up and to the left, with a black dog partially visible on the right.© Volkswagen0:22
  4. A small white fluffy dog barks upwards, with the paws of a larger dog visible in the background, in a bright white studio.© Volkswagen0:24
  5. A small tan chihuahua dog with white chest fur barks while sitting on a white platform in a bright studio.© Volkswagen0:25
  6. A group of dogs of various breeds and sizes are sitting on white pedestals in a bright, minimalist white room, howling in unison.© Volkswagen0:26
  7. A light brown, shaggy dog with a light-colored harness howls, looking up in a bright, white, minimalist room.© Volkswagen0:31
  8. A small, shaggy grey dog, dressed as Chewbacca, barks loudly in a white studio with other dogs.© Volkswagen0:36
  9. A group of dogs of various breeds and sizes, some in Star Wars costumes, sit on white pedestals in a bright white studio, barking in unison.© Volkswagen0:37
  10. Two dogs, one black and white and one light brown, look up in a white room, with the black and white dog barking.© Volkswagen0:45
  11. A brown Vizsla dog with green eyes looks up and barks, in a white studio with square panels in the background.© Volkswagen0:46
  12. A group of dogs, some dressed in Star Wars costumes, are barking in a white, minimalist studio setting.© Volkswagen0:47

Stills © Volkswagen. Made by Deutsch, Caviar and Keith Schofield.

Every shot, full-quality frames and clips, and search across every commercial. Free account.

The idea

Dogs performing Star Wars' Imperial March.

Tagline: “Back. And better than ever. Das Auto.”

animal actorspop culture referencemusical performancecute animalsunexpected twist

The cut

Length
60 s
Shots
17
Average shot
3.5 s

What creatives use Volkswagen “The Bark Side” for

  1. 01Reference frames for your treatment

    Pitching something with the feel of Volkswagen “The Bark Side”? A screenshot from a video player won't hold up in a deck.

    Download any frame of this spot at full quality, with its credits, or search every spot for the same look.

    A group of dogs of various breeds and sizes are sitting on white pedestals in a sterile, all-white room, looking up and barking.© VolkswagenA group of dogs of various breeds and sizes are sitting on white pedestals in a bright, minimalist white room, barking and howling.© VolkswagenA white bulldog with black patches around its eyes barks, looking up and to the left, with a black dog partially visible on the right.© VolkswagenA small white fluffy dog barks upwards, with the paws of a larger dog visible in the background, in a bright white studio.© Volkswagen
    Frames from Volkswagen “The Bark Side”

  2. 02Shot list example: how it was cut

    You need the structure of a great spot, shot by shot, for your storyboard.

    Every shot of Volkswagen “The Bark Side” in order, with its length, framing and what happens in it.

    A group of dogs of various breeds and sizes are sitting on white pedestals in a sterile, all-white room, looking up and barking.© VolkswagenA group of dogs of various breeds and sizes are sitting on white pedestals in a bright, minimalist white room, barking and howling.© VolkswagenA white bulldog with black patches around its eyes barks, looking up and to the left, with a black dog partially visible on the right.© VolkswagenA small white fluffy dog barks upwards, with the paws of a larger dog visible in the background, in a bright white studio.© VolkswagenA small tan chihuahua dog with white chest fur barks while sitting on a white platform in a bright studio.© VolkswagenA group of dogs of various breeds and sizes are sitting on white pedestals in a bright, minimalist white room, howling in unison.© Volkswagen
    Length: 60 s · Shots: 17 · Average shot: 3.5 s

  3. 03Ad ideas: every spot built on a pop culture reference

    Before you present an idea, you need to know who has done it, and how.

    Volkswagen “The Bark Side” is built on a pop culture reference. Search the library by idea to see every spot that uses it.

    Coca-Cola “New Coke-Stranger Things”© Coca-ColaEsurance “Sorta Rx”© EsuranceMountain Dew “Here's Mountain Dew Zero”© Mountain DewEE “4G with Kevin Bacon”© EE
    Coca-Cola · Esurance · Mountain Dew · EE

More commercials by Keith Schofield

  • O2 "Be More Dog" (2014) commercial still© O2O2 “Be More Dog” 2014Dir. Keith Schofield · VCCP PartnershipEpica Gold 2013
  • Virgin Trains "Very Fast Chair" (2020) commercial still© Virgin TrainsVirgin Trains “Very Fast Chair” 2020Dir. Keith Schofield · AnomalyBritish Arrows Silver 2020
  • Jack Link's "Meat Your Flavor- Fritos Chili Cheese Flavored Beef Jerky" (2025) commercial still© Jack Link'sJack Link's “Meat Your Flavor- Fritos Chili Cheese Flavored Beef Jerky” 2025Dir. Keith Schofield · Highdive
  • Captain Morgan "Thumbs" (2024) commercial still© Captain MorganCaptain Morgan “Thumbs” 2024Dir. Keith Schofield · Anomaly
  • Visa "Birdstrike" (2023) commercial still© VisaVisa “Birdstrike” 2023Dir. Keith Schofield · Wieden+Kennedy
  • Barclays "Bewildered" (2023) commercial still© BarclaysBarclays “Bewildered” 2023Dir. Keith Schofield · BBH

More from Deutsch

  • Taco Bell "Taco Bell x LeBron James: Freeing Taco T***day" (2024) commercial still© Taco BellTaco Bell “Taco Bell x LeBron James: Freeing Taco T***day” 2024DeutschEffie Awards Gold 2024
  • Tile "Lost Panda" (2018) commercial still© TileTile “Lost Panda” 2018Dir. Mark Molloy · DeutschAdFest Gold 2018
  • FEMA "Waiting" (2014) commercial still© FEMAFEMA “Waiting” 2014Dir. Nicolai Fuglsig · DeutschDGA Awards 2014
  • PlayStation (MLB 09: The Show) "MLB' 09: The Show" (2010) commercial still© PlayStation (MLB 09: The Show)PlayStation (MLB 09: The Show) “MLB' 09: The Show” 2010DeutschEffie Awards Gold 2010
  • Bioré "Biore. Clean. Honest" (1999) commercial still© BioréBioré “Biore. Clean. Honest” 1999DeutschEffie Awards Gold 1999
  • Furniture Store "Salesmen" (1991) commercial still© Furniture StoreFurniture Store “Salesmen” 1991DeutschCannes Lions Gold 1991

Award-winning auto commercials

Questions

Who directed the Volkswagen “The Bark Side” commercial?

Keith Schofield directed it, produced by Caviar, for the agency Deutsch.

Which agency made Volkswagen “The Bark Side”?

Deutsch created it for Volkswagen (2013).

What awards did Volkswagen “The Bark Side” win?

3 awards, including D&AD 2013 Film Advertising Crafts: Use of Music for Film Advertising Yellow Pencil, D&AD 2013 Yellow Pencil — Film Advertising Crafts / Use of Music for Film Advertising and Clio 2012 Bronze — Film / Sound Design.

What is the tagline of Volkswagen “The Bark Side”?

“Back. And better than ever. Das Auto.”

Sources for the credits and awards

dandad.orgclios.com