[2] The advertisement for the 2012 Volkswagen Passat, created by Eric Springer, Michael Kadin, Josh Rose, Ryan Mclaughlin, Craig Melchiano and David Povill at Deutsch, features a young boy (played by Max Page) in full Darth Vader regalia attempting to use the Force to start a washing machine and a clothes dryer, and to wake the dog and a doll.
[3] The film was directed by Lance Acord and produced by Park Pictures featuring the musical track "Imperial March" composed by John Williams.
[7] On May 24, Page appeared in costume, with the Star Wars Darth Vader music playing, at the inauguration of the Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant.
[8] In addition, Page played Reed Hellstrom on the American TV soap opera The Young and the Restless, appeared in local commercials, and had acted "since he was barely able to walk".
"[3] James Rainey of the Los Angeles Times said the ad "will get inside people's heads and stay there because it combines the iconic 'Star Wars' character and a classic sentiment—a child's desire to be larger than life.
"[12] Of all the Super Bowl ads, Rainey said, "the one you'll actually want to see again is Volkswagen's, powered by the force of a tiny Darth Vader who tells a simple story, with a little body language and nary a word.
"[14] According to USA Today the commercial was posted online 5 days before the Super Bowl and had already garnered 13 million views by the time the game aired.