Audi : The New Dream In Town (EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING)

I guess it’s really no surprise.  In any of the top action movies over the last 3-4 years Audi has been positioning itself as the new standard for desirable luxury.  Audi  wasn’t yet doing any straight up comparisons, but they certainly had been earning a bunch of “cool” on our emotional rolodexes.  It seems like Audi has decided to cash in some of that earned equity and ratchet things up a bit

In the US, Audi is running a series of commercials that has the DNA of the movies in which Audi has prominently appeared.  You can slightly feel the Jason Bourne series, the movie Taken with Liam Nielson and there’s a touch of the Transporter with “the man”.  If we take all of those movies and put them in the blender for about 15 seconds you’ve got the underlying DNA for the new AUDI USA TV spots.

The spots put the Audi “tire to tire” against the Mercedes.  It’s experiential methodology deployed via a mass distribution channel because it’s as if they’ve plugged right into my emotional car port that resides directly behind my right ear as it turns out. 

Let’s be very clear here - I’m a car person.  I’m on record as such.  I don’t own an Audi, but their cars’ elicit a definable emotional response when i look at the bold stance and unwavering beauty of their new line up.  They are going as far to get little boys to put Audi posters up on their walls instead of the Italian, Pavlovian conditioned posters that all the young boys had been dreaming of to date - mission accomplished. There’s a new dream in town

I’m a tough one to please in the world of cars.  For the last 5 years I can honestly say that Audi dropped out of my consideration set because they started over styling their cars, and it was tough to decipher if there was a 1.8 liter turbo in front of me or an S4. So as of 2007, Audi was firmly in last place in my consideration set - then it’s as if they woke up.  Of course, this isn’t to say that they didn’t have some beautiful vehicles.  The A8 was gorgeous, unfortunately it was only putting out 420 bhp when the same engine in the Bentley was putting out in the neighborhood of 640 bhp.   I’m no hater.  I’m a very proud owner of a VW race car and a Porsche 911 Techart conversion. So, nobody can say that I don’t like the company.

I can say this.  In my opinion there is no other car company that has an entire line-up of cars that simply leaves me breathless.  While I’d be more apt to drive the A8, S5 or R8 - I’d be thrilled to drive an S4 or one of the cars at the lesser expensive end of the Audi car roster.

All of this car talk has been fun, but the main reason that I’m writing this piece is that Audi has masterfully equated their brand with contemporary luxury and while placing Mercedes in the Old luxury position.  I purposefully didn’t use the word modern as modern isn’t what we’re talking about here - we’re talking about contemporary.  Audi  has successfully started to spend the equity that they’ve been earning over the last few years and have brilliantly placed themselves into this position.  And, in my opinion again, they’re not going to be unseated from this position.  For a myriad of reasons, but mostly because they have an entire product line-up of beautifully styled cars that are nicely appointed with the things that drivers expect in luxury vehicles.  Is Mercedes luxury? I guess, but Audi has made them old luxury - as in go grab the shuffle board.

It’s been fun to watch the process unfold over the last few years.  Cars are emotional purchases by default, but the feelings that the new Audi’s evoke make one’s heart beat faster, and they seem to be making people want to see if they can fit one into their budget.

As for Mercedes.  You need to hire me or someone that understands cars and the intricacies involved with what’s going on here. Truth be told - the C63 is one of the baddest cars on the planet - why doesn’t the now about it ? What about all the awesome Mercedes?  If I allow myself to be very real for one second - SHAME ON YOU MERCEDES !!!!!  You have some of the finest automobiles on the road - they’re styling, handling their everything is brilliant - yet you haven’t been telling me about it.  Let’s sit down soon.  I’ll shine the spotlight on the right places and get peoples’ hearts racing again.  But, for now, you're old - sorry.  BRAVO AUDI !!!!