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We’re highlighting great examples of marketing, branding, and professional communicating in general in our new #FollowFriday series. Today we shine the light on Volkswagen. Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

While there are countless examples of using nostalgia to market, VW’s new Passat ad perked our ears and took us back to the days of our youth. We’re not QUITE old enough to have enjoyed Rush’s heyday, but they were a large part of the music scene while we were growing up. Hearing that music takes us back to a more innocent time. A time when we were indestructible, couldn’t imagine being wrong, and Michael still wanted to be an astronaut. Wait. That was last week.

VW has done a great job over the years of using our nostalgia to sell to us. Remember this ad? How about this one? They make us feel good, young, and make us laugh, and remember the good times in our own lives. Nostalgia is a powerful feeling that we as marketers can tap into. It’s a tricky emotion though. If done incorrectly, it comes off cheap. For example. What are some of your favorite instances of nostalgia marketing?