Volkswagen's 2012 Super Bowl Ad Features Chubby Dog, Star Wars Bar Scene

Just the Facts:

• In what may be the most surrealistic of the auto advertisements slated for the 2012 Super Bowl, Volkswagen's offering features an overweight dog and the German automaker's take on the bar scene from Star Wars.
• Volkswagen revealed the commercial, entitled "The Dog Strikes Back," on its YouTube channel on Wednesday.
• The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is also part of the ad.

HERNDON, Virginia — In what may be the most surrealistic of the auto advertisements slated for the 2012 Super Bowl, Volkswagen's offering features an overweight dog and the German automaker's take on the bar scene from Star Wars.

The ad answers one of the key questions looming about the upcoming Super Bowl — that is, how would Volkswagen top the success of last year's commercial "The Force," which featured a pint-sized Darth Vader. The 2011 Super Bowl commercial went viral, with more than 10 million views on YouTube.

Darth Vader shows up again this year at the end of "The Dog Strikes Back." The final 15 seconds take place in the Cantina introduced in Stars Wars Episode IV — but this time, the bar patrons critique the VW ad. The iconic scene in the Star Wars movie has even merited a mention in Urban Dictionary.com, where the "bar scene from Star Wars" is defined as "a group of very ugly or freakish looking people."

"The Dog Strikes Back" begins with an overweight canine longing to chase the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle.

"(He) is inspired to whip himself into shape by the power and performance of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle," said the automaker in a statement.

The politically correct ad seems to tap into First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign. She has been a high-profile advocate of eating well and exercising. Earlier this week, she talked comedian Jay Leno — who once said he hadn't eaten a vegetable since 1969 — into nibbling on an apple and sweet potato fries.

Earlier, VW teased its Super Bowl ad with a video entitled "The Bark Side," featuring dogs barking the Star Wars Imperial March.

At least 11 automakers, from Toyota to General Motors, will advertise during the 2012 Super Bowl.

Inside Line says: Well, does it beat "The Force"?