Axehole

Last week we tried in vain to come up with a WTF Friday item. Don’t blame us - it was a boring week in music.

This week, weird music news is popping up everywhere.

The weirdest news, though, is that VW has teamed up with First Act for a “first-of-its-kind musical collaboration that will rock potential car buyers” and create a whole new segment of players.

Don’t take our word for it, though, take it from Slash:

Beginning October 3 and continuing through December 31, any customer that purchases or leases a designated Volkswagen model from the new 2007 line - including Jetta, Jetta GLI, GTI, Rabbit, New Beetle and New Beetle Convertible – will receive their own customized First Act GarageMaster electric guitar that will play seamlessly through the car’s existing audio system.

That’s right, spend $40K on a Jetta and you can rock hard through your car stereo!

WTF?

What insane marketing wiz came up with this?

First of all, electrical guitars barely fit in VWs. Second, if you did manage to get the guitar into the car, would you want some axehole rocking out in the passenger seat while you’re trying to drive.

And why would anyone want to rock out through a standard car audio system?

This promo is sure to generate some buzz for Volkswagen - but mostly it will be bloggers asing WTF were they thinking?

“The partnership with First Act is the next iteration of Volkswagen’s longstanding history with music,” said Volkswagen’s Director of Brand Innovation Kerri Martin.

WTF? I think they may have licensed one of Moby’s tunes a few years back.
“The Volkswagen brand is culturally known for its celebration of music and all things creative; this exciting collaboration makes a statement that Volkswagen is a brand with innovative ideas and an unparalleled ability to create unique and appealing connections with its consumers.”

WTF squared?

According to VW, each electric guitar will display the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the owner’s Volkswagen vehicle and will also have custom colored pick guards complementing the exterior of the car. This means it will be a genuine collector’s item.
The guitar will feature the traditional Volkswagen logo and “V Dub” inlay, a guitar strap made of safety belts, VW knobs, a prominent blue indicator light that matches the trademark instrument panel lighting of Volkswagen vehicles, VW logo guitar picks and a carrying case to take the music anywhere. Volkswagen owners can now create a concert in their garage, play for the entire tailgate party or shred in the beach parking lot.