Quality problems, a lackluster array of cars (remember the Scirocco, the Dasher, and the Thing?), increased competition, and dissension within the company about strategic direction created a sales and image meltdown for VW. Managements slowness to correct the problems that plagued its U.S. operations became the "drug" that poisoned the brand in the minds of industry insiders, consumers, and even devotees, just as surely as chemical drugs had poisoned the members of Aerosmith. The proverbial sink-or-swim moment had arrived for Volkswagen. The company had some success with Passats, GTIs, and Cabrios imported from Germany, but reliability problems were rampant with the Golf and the Jetta-the entry-point cars for VWs customers. The company was down to "selling only to die-hard VW fans, the ones who would buy the cars if they came in boxes and had to be assembled in their driveways."6 Without a complete revival of its manufacturing, operations, and marketing, it couldnt survive in the U.S. market. | B r a nd s Th at Roc k     Assuming it could fix these problems, the big question loomed-how to regain trust and revive the emotional connection with its lost or dis- heartened customers. The make-or-break moment for Volkswagen in the U.S. market had arrived. After years of living as an endangered species, VW was reborn with the reintroduction of the Bug in 1997. To the delight of VW, the Bug had never really died in the hearts of its fans, many of whom had kept and restored their 1960s or 1970s models for nostal- gic reasons. The new Bug was VWs "Walk This Way" remake-the car and the song were just the opening paragraphs of the rest of the story for each entitys branding saga. Just as Aerosmith had to fix the addic- tion and relationship problems of the bands members before releas- ing its next album and attracting new fans, so did VW have to fix its brand before unleashing a new advertising campaign and attracting new customers. Fixing the brand meant solving product quality and reliability issues that had alienated customers in the late 1970s and 1980s. If there is something wrong with the brand or the product, the worst thing a marketer can do is create a great advertising campaign that attracts customers. Why? Because their trust is tough to gain the first time, let alone the second time, after theyve been disappointed. Good advertising only accelerates the demise of poor products, brands, or companies. Volkswagen had been there, done that, and, frankly, didnt want to do it again. Instead, it got support from the dealerships and delivered quality standards consumers expected, understanding that a fundamental principle of taking brands from good to great is exceeding, not just meeting, customer expectations. All in all, the rebirth of Volkswagen was a triumph in marketing, branding, and engineering.       Reverse Custo mer Intimacy   Customer relationship management (CRM) has received much atten- tion from marketing and branding executives in recent years, with the