You're taking a drive in the country when some random sheep hops into your Volkswagen Tiguan. Now you've got a cute new pet, though you might need to wash that upholstery.

Johannes Leonardo and director Bryce Dallas Howard spin such a yarn in "Break Free," a spot launching on TV next week as part of VW's lifestyle-focused "Drive Bigger" campaign:

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There's just something about that woolly face hanging out the window like Fido that lifts our hearts!

"We loved the idea of a non-conformist sheep as a character," JL group creative director Jonathan Santana tells Muse. "She became the metaphor to the independent spirit that VW drivers exhibit."

Director Howard (Ron's daughter) grew up with a pet sheep, so "we knew Bryce would be able to tap into the psyche of our fluffy little friend and depict her in a way that would feel charming and wonderful," says Santana. "We had three sheep performing the role of our hero, each a star performer, delivering like pros. Rarely were we redoing takes because of the sheep, but rather because the humans weren't hitting their marks. Whoever said animals were difficult to work with clearly has never worked with sheep before!"

Music frequently plays a key role in VW's best spots, with classic selections of yore ranging from fringe-folkster Nick Drake to über-legend David Bowie. In similar fashion, a rousing, country-tinged take on "Make Your Own Kind of Music" propels "Break Free." A 1969 hit for Mama Cass Elliot, the song harkens back to VW's hippie-era heyday.

A terrific tune also benefits a second spot, "Those Guys," created by JL with director Bjorn Ruhmann. Here, Doris Day's sunny rendition of "It's a Lovely Day Today" provides an ironic counterpoint as a phone-obsessed dude (Jonathan Kite from 2 Broke Girls) struts obliviously around town:

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Frankly, the guy deserves to get creamed by that VW Atlas. Alas, we're not making the ads, so the vehicle's advanced safety features save the day when he obliviously saunters in front of the SUV. That's probably more on brand, anyway.

Santana views "Those Guys" as a reintroduction of a "classic Volkswagen tone," delivering a strong product message with humorous flair and a dash of irreverence. "Creating an ad with an anti-hero could seem like the wrong way to go," he says. "But comedic tension was needed to talk about the Atlas, a car built to look out for everyone's safety, even those outside of it. So naturally, showing a narcissistically guy happily going about his day without a care for anyone else seemed perfectly apt."

VW rode high last year as U.S. sales spiked, though its fortunes have taken a sharp turn of late, mainly owing to supply-chain issues dogging the entire automotive industry. Moving forward, Santana believes "Drive Bigger" will spark momentum by aligning VW's message with aspects of the human condition.

"We're demonstrating how our cars enable them to live with more purpose and enjoyment," he says. "We'll be able to create big purposeful work that takes on societal issues and continue to build the brand's perception as a leader in the EV space, demonstrating how that positively impacts the future of our world."

CLIENT: Volkswagen Group of America, Herndon, VA, USA President and CEO: Scott Keogh EVP, Sales & Marketing: Andrew Savvas SVP, Marketing: Kimberley Gardiner Director, Brand and Retail Content: Jennifer Clayton Manager, Advertising: Megan Gross Senior Specialist, Brand Advertising: Alyssa Young Specialist, Brand Advertising: David Sperin

AGENCY: Johannes Leonardo, New York City, USA Co-Founder & Creative Chairman: Jan Jacobs Co-Founder & Creative Chairman: Leo Premutico Chief Creative Officer: Julia Neumann Group Creative Director: Jonathan Santana Sr Copywriter: Lukas Pearson Sr Art Director: Jennifer Yi Design Director: Charles Watlington Head of Production: Maria Perez Group Executive Producer: Rebecca O'Neill Executive Producer: Dave Evans Director, Business Affairs: Alesa Blanchard-Nelson Sr Business Affairs Manager: Denise Klapp Broadcast Traffic Manager: Sargia Green Managing Director: Emily Wilcox Group Account Director: Sam McCallum Account Director: Jackson Klein Account Supervisor: Alexa Iliou Account Supervisor: Andressa Paccini Product Specialist: Ryan Callahan Chief Strategy Officer: Steve Zaroff Group Strategy Director: Mary Bakarich Strategy Director: Kat Logan Communications Strategy Director:  Senior Strategist: Jake Ullman Product Information Specialist: 

FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY: Prettybird Director: Bryce Dallas Howard Vice President/EP: Suzanne Hargrove Head of Production: Rika Osenberg Producer: Dennis Beier

EDITORIAL: Work Editorial Founder/Editor: Neil Smith Managing Director: Erica Thompson Executive Producer: Alejandra Alarcon Head of Production: Christopher Delarenal Assistant Editor: Joseph Tuzzolino

FINISH / VFX / COLOR GRADE: The Mill Executive Producer: Matthew Loranger Senior Executive Producer | US Color: Meghan Lang Bice Producer: Chanelle Larios Sr Lead Compositor/VFX Supervisor: Siro Valente

AUDIO POST: Heard City Managing Partner: Gloria Pitagorsky Executive Producer: Sasha Awn Executive Producer: Jackie James Senior Producer: Liana Rosenberg Producer: Nick Duvarney Senior Mixer/Sound Designer: Evan Mangiamele Sound Designer/Mixer/Engineer: T. Terressa Tate

MUSIC HOUSE: Soundtree Founder / Composer: Peter Raeburn Managing Director / Music Supervisor: Jay James Head of Music / Composer: Luis Almau Composer / Music Producer: Luke Fabia Senior Producer: Neil Athale

MUSIC PUBLISHING:  Composition: Make Your Own Kind of Music Publisher: Screen Gems-EMI Music Inc. Songwriters: Mann/Weil

CLIENT: Volkswagen Group of America, Herndon, VA, USA President and CEO: Scott Keogh EVP, Sales & Marketing: Andrew Savvas SVP, Marketing: Kimberley Gardiner Director, Content, Retail: Jennifer Clayton Manager, Retail: Megan Gross Senior Specialist, Retail: Alyssa Young Specialist, Retail: David Sperin Safety Engineer: Myles Wilson

AGENCY: Johannes Leonardo, New York City, USA Co-Founder & Creative Chairman: Jan Jacobs Co-Founder & Creative Chairman: Leo Premutico Chief Creative Officer: Julia Neumann Group Creative Director: Jonathan Santana Sr Copywriter: Julian Cohen Sr Art Director: Mikayla Lapierre Design Director: Charles Watlington Head of Production: Maria Perez Group Executive Producer: Rebecca O'Neill Senior Producer: Kelly Treadway Director, Business Affairs: Alesa Blanchard-Nelson Sr Business Affairs Manager: Denise Klapp Broadcast Traffic Manager: Sargia Green Managing Director: Emily Wilcox Group Account Director: Sam McCallum Account Director: Jackson Klein Account Supervisor: Alexa Iliou Account Supervisor: Andressa Paccini Product Specialist: Ryan Callahan Chief Strategy Officer: Steve Zaroff Group Strategy Director: Mary Bakarich Strategy Director: Kat Logan Communications Strategy Director:  Senior Strategist: Jake Ullman

FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY: Smuggler Director: Bjorn Ruhmann Co-Founder: Patrick Milling-Smith Co-Founder: Brian Carmody Managing Director US: Sue Yeon Ahn Chief Operating Officer: Andrew Colon Head of Production: Alex Hughes Producer: Alexandra Lisee

EDITORIAL: Gattie & Lopez Founder / Editor: Chuck Willis Founder / MD: Sue Willis Producer: Anna Peitti

FINISH/ VFX/ COLOR GRADE: The Mill Colorist: Mark Gethin VFX Lead: Kieran Hanrahan Creative Director: Jimmy Bullard Sr Executive Producer: Clairellen Wallen Sr Producer: Ed Rilli Producer: Ramya Shankar Producer: Jessica Amburgey

AUDIO FINISHING: Sonic Union Audio Mixer / Founder: Steve Rosen Audio Mixer: Rob DiFondi Audio Mixer: Kelly Oostman MD/Studio Manager: Justine Cortale

LICENSED MUSIC: Premier Music Group  Partner / EVP: Aaron Mercer Music Supervisor: Ian Herbert

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