Almost 15 years ago, in a galaxy not so far away, Volkswagen i Star Wars joined forces for an iconic Super Bowl ad, “The Force,” and fans are still talking about its impact.
The commercial was initially broadcast on February 6, 2011, in support of Super Bowl XLVand what started as an ad to sell the Volkswagen Passat became a marketing masterclass while reminding viewers to tap into their own childlike wonder from time to time.
The ad featured a young boy (played by Maximum page) in a Darth Vader suit doing his best to use the Force on household items like the washing machine and a doll. He is surprised when it finally works in his father’s Passat, not realizing that his father used the remote control to win over his son.
“It was a seismic cultural event that happened specifically because no one set out to create a seismic cultural event, just a big announcement.” Kim GettyCEO of Deutsch, the advertising agency behind the campaign, exclusively reveals the latest issue of Us Weeklyon newsstands now.
Stella Artois/YouTube No Super Bowl is complete without some must-see commercials. As excitement continues to build for the big game on Sunday, February 9, companies are giving fans a preview of their star-studded ads. Uber Eats has tapped Charli XCX, Martha Stewart and Matthew McConaughey for a variety of ads. Meanwhile, Stella Artois rises (…)
Scroll down to see the memorable commercial and why the Force is still with us 15 years later:
Who was involved?
Lance Agreement directed, produced by Park Pictures and featured advertisement John Williamsclassic sheet music for “Imperial March (Darth Vader Theme)”.
Deutsch’s vision became a reality after a member of the creative team saw a “photocopy of a small boy in a Stormtrooper helmet (in the) drab copier room” filled with abandoned images of different ideas, according to Getty.
Why do we remember it?
Who didn’t want magical powers when they were little? “At its core, it’s just a beautiful story about a father and son, brought to life with exceptional craftsmanship,” says Getty, “which is really all original. Star Wars saga was, now that I think about it. And that turned out pretty well too!”
Key details
Super Bowl ads they’ve always been big business, but Volkswagen’s smart decision to drop the ad early on YouTube paid off. The timing allowed people to watch it without other Super Bowl commercials competing for their attention or clouding their perspective.
The ad was viewed 1.8 million times within a day of its release, on the Wednesday before the big game. When Super Bowl XLV started, a matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers that ended with a score of 31-25, there were up to 17 million views and counting.
In 2013, the nonprofit industry The One Club named it one of the 10 most influential ads of the past 25 years.
The Consequences
James Earl Jones poses with Max Page, a six-year-old boy.
Bruce Glikas/FilmMagicChild star Max Page went viral in a pre-viral era. He appeared on the Today show and even met the deceased Star Wars legend—Darth Vader himself— James Earl Jones (Jones He died in September 2024 at the age of 93. Among his most emblematic roles was giving voice to the Star Wars villain in six films, multiple television series and videos.)
The spot also helped “raise a new generation of Star Wars fans,” says Getty, who notes that the franchise was in a lull at the time. The Force Awakens aka Episode VII it didn’t hit theaters until 2015, a decade later Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Episode III) it came out in 2005.
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A new perspective
Viral Super Bowl ads are a dime a dozen now, but “The Force” could have been “even bigger” if it had come out today, Getty says: “The spot is such a wonderfully well-crafted human story that it would feel even more refreshing in this age of AI.”
where are they now
Maximum page
Getty Images; Courtesy of Jennifer Alderson Page/InstagramVolkswagen is still producing iconic commercials (including a sequel in 2012 called “The dog fights back” centered around a sweet dog!), but it’s Max Page’s story that has continued to captivate fans.
The child actor was born with a congenital heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallotand his fame highlighted the condition.
Many stars have explored a galaxy far, far away in various Star Wars movies or TV series via blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos. Prince William and Prince Harry secretly filmed a short scene in Star Wars: The Last Jedi as stormtroopers. Although the scene was ultimately cut before the film’s theatrical release, the clip was later included (…)
A few months after “The Force” aired, he had one pulmonary valve replaced. Since then, Page, now 21, has undergone more than 12 surgeries and become an advocate for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
After his Volkswagen stardom, Page continued acting, playing Reed Hellstrom The young and the restless from 2009 to 2015 and starring 2019 Into the darkness. He is currently studying at Loyola Marymount University in California. No word on what car he’s driving.