# Volkswagen “The Force”

> Volkswagen's agency reported 17 million YouTube views before the Super Bowl broadcast.

- Owner: Volkswagen of America
- Kind: Campaign
- Sector: Auto & mobility
- Seed date: 2011-02-02
- Observed peak date: 2011-02-04
- Date basis: Observed peak within the documented measurement window; not an all-time maximum.
- Spread Score: 55 (Notable, provisional), v1.3
- Mechanics: Transgression, Platform jump, Press loop, Response chain, Controversy

## Summary

Volkswagen posted The Force before its paid Super Bowl airing. YouTube reported a launch-week daily-view peak before the game. News outlets covered its popularity, and Marvel and Greenpeace made parodies.

## Timeline

- 2011-01-26 — Volkswagen of America (Press) — Volkswagen announced a Lucasfilm partnership and two Super Bowl spots for vehicles due in the fall.
- 2011-02-02 — Volkswagen / Deutsch LA (YouTube) — Volkswagen posted the 60-second version of The Force on YouTube before its Super Bowl airing.
- 2011-02-02 — John Gruber (Open web) — John Gruber linked the video on Daring Fireball and called it a funny, well-done spot.

The full timeline, metrics and sources are on the case page, or via the Pro API (https://howitspread.com/developers).

Canonical URL: https://howitspread.com/cases/volkswagen-the-force

Cite as: How It Spread (2026). “Volkswagen “The Force”.” Case HIS-01511. Spread Score v1.3: 55/100. Updated 2026-10-23. https://howitspread.com/id/HIS-01511