The Volkswagen Beetle is one of the most iconic vehicles ever created. Though it has gone through many revivals and recent speculations of its discontinuation , the Beetle was once the best-selling car ever and remains one of VW’s most popular models. Despite its small size, it had a big hand in changing the face of advertising as we know it. Here is the story behind VW’s “Think Small” campaign that helped the German-made Beetle become an American icon. The First Beetles The idea of the Beetle was conceived in 1931 , when automotive engineer Ferdinand Porsche and motorcycle manufacturer Zündapp developed the Porsche Type 12, or “Auto für Jedermann” (“Car for Everyone”). Two years later, Adolf Hitler commissioned Porsche to develop a “people’s car” (“Volkswagen” in German) that could seat a family of five. The first prototype was created in 1935, featuring the distinctive round shape and air-cooled, rear-mounted engine of the classic Beetle. Although designed in t...