Squarely Placing the VW Passat alongside the Chevrolet Corvette as badge of the mid-life crisis, TribalDDB UK has launched Mid-Life Crisis Retreat, a site built specifically for 40 and 50 year old men who think they’ve still got game and believe tighter clothing, among other horrific things, makes them equally as hot as a 25 year old underwear model. The video-heavy site offers up test to determine just how badly one has fallen into the mode of mid-lfe crisis. And, of course, you can send the test to a friend so they, too, can wallow in the self pity that is the mid-life crisis. This is some really uplifting stuff here, folks.
This approach wields a questionably double edged sword. It clearly positions the Passat as a car no one under 40 would be caught dead driving. It also positions the vehicle as desirable to the very small audience of older men who’ve resigned themselves to the fact they’ll never again get leering looks from women the way they, themselves, still leer at women. Considering many 40 and 50 year old men still wish they were 25 and rolling with the hotties in the Mini, this leaves a very, very small number of men who’d willingly admit they’re squarely placed withing the dreaded category of mid-life crisis and, thereby, respond to this campaign for anything other than its comedic value…which is quite good by the way.
We’re not sure how wonderful a campaign which shouts “I’m over 40 and I’ve just bought a mid-life crisis mobile” will be received, though, with the over 40 and 50 set destined to demographically stamp out the younglings in a few years, the mid-life crisis just might be the new place for the cool kids to hang out.
