Audi Announces New A4 Advertising Campaign

HERNDON, Va., Aug 27, 2008 – In a new advertising campaign launching this month for the 2009 Audi A4, Audi of America demonstrates product superiority versus the perceived leaders within the luxury automotive segment with the introduction of the entirely new Audi A4. The campaign uses television, digital and driving experience platforms to make bold and declarative claims about the advantages of the 2009 Audi A4 and features the tagline “Progress is beautiful.”

Audi’s advertising agency, Venables Bell & Partners, created the broadcast ads. The 60-second “Living Room” made its debut in select cities during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics on August 8th. That spot highlights the Audi brand while the remaining spot is product focused and reinforced with verifiable claims. “Living Room” ran regionally during the Olympics telecast and both spots will run nationally during such high-profile events as the MLB playoffs, the NFL Sunday Night Game of the Week and other highly-rated shows, such as “The Office” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”

“The Audi Brand is on a role. With the launch of the entirely new A4, Audi is building off of the successful R8 and A5 launches,” said Scott Keogh, chief marketing officer, Audi of America. “The A4 is quicker, more fuel-efficient and roomier than the competition. This campaign delivers that message in a clear and dramatic fashion. We simply reported the facts in an engaging fashion. We’re no longer content to be among the leaders in luxury, we want to be the leader. Bold and dynamic products will lead the way.”

The new spots represent the continuing evolution of Audi’s “Truth in Engineering” campaign that launched last year. During the 2008 Super Bowl, Audi and its R8 sports car put the competition on notice by declaring itself the face of New Luxury. The Audi A5 launch followed, firmly establishing Audi and the A5 coupe as the new, better choice in luxury. This third wave of work, focused on the entirely new Audi A4, includes two separate spots that maintain the campaign theme and are reinforced with real product proof points.

In “Living Room,” Audi reinforces the message that its brand represents a new era in luxury. In the spot, a traditional living room that features characteristics of an older luxury ideal morphs into a modern and luxurious, yet comfortable and approachable, new space. As the living room evolves, keen-eyed viewers will notice that it actually takes on certain characteristics of the 2009 A4, including technology references like the Bang & Olufsen stereo system, craftsmanship cues such as the use of chrome, glass, lighting and the specific wood employed, as well as efficiency references represented by the recycling bins outdoors. The spot introduces the concept of progress and delivers the message that the all-new A4 embodies that concept. In the other spot, the product benefits of the A4 take center stage and the claims become more specific.

“Separation” depicts a testing dramatization that captures a photo finish moment as the Audi A4 crosses the finish line before the other competitors in a 0-60 mph situation. The ad closes with a statement that this new A4 is not only the fastest, but also the most fuel-efficient with the most interior room in its class. The 2009 Audi A4 2.0 TFSI travels from 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds and is the longest and widest car in its segment, at 185.2 inches and 71.9 inches, respectively. That engine also achieves 21/27 MPG. Independent testing that verified the 0-60 mph claim against the 2008 BMW 328xi, Lexus IS 250 AWD and the Mercedes-Benz C300 4MATIC, was handled by Automotive Marketing Consultants Inc. (AMCI), the automotive industry’s unbiased, third-party vehicle testing authority.

Audi’s new campaign will originally run on television, but will also be available online at www.truthinengineering.com and www.audiusa.com. The music that accompanies each spot will also be available for download.

The campaign will be supported by unique online extensions that highlight the competitive nature of the executions. Audi has created a series of banner ads that succinctly showcase the true product capability distinctions between the A4 and competitive models. Customers interested in testing Audi’s claims for themselves can join Audi at a stop on the traveling Audi Driving Experience (ADE) Tour. At the ADE, consumers have the opportunity to try out the entirely new A4 against the competition in a closed-track test. Audi received over 8,600 registrants for this opportunity before the first event occurred. For more information on the Audi Driving Experience Tour, visit www.truthinengineering.com/audi-driving-experience/.

Audi is further supporting the 2009 A4 launch with the first automotive OEM release of a dedicated iPhone application, as well as a supporting A4 iPhone experience web site. “Audi A4 Challenge” is a driving game that utilizes the iPhone’s accelerometer (motion sensor) to give players the opportunity to pilot the new A4 through a series of challenging courses. Customers who visit www.truthinengineering.com/a4/iphone on their iPhone will find a unique interface and content on the A4, specialized videos, an exterior color customizer, a dealer locator and a link to install “Audi A4 Challenge.” The application is now available free of charge on Apple’s iPhone Application store.

About Audi of America

Audi of America, Inc. offers a line of luxury vehicles that include the Audi A3 sport compact; the sporty A4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high performance S4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models, the high-revving RS 4 sport sedan and Cabriolet; the all new A5 Coupe with FSI direct injection technology; the S5 Coupe with 354 hp; the design-leading A6 sedan and Avant; the V-10 powered high performance S6 sedan; the Audi Q7 performance SUV; the new all-aluminum Audi A8 and A8L; the new S8 with V10 power; the all-new 2008 TT Coupe and Roadster models; and the all-new, all-aluminum R8, one of the most exclusive mid-engine sports cars in the world. Upcoming Audi vehicle launches in the USA include the updated A3 with quattro all-wheel drive (Sept. 2008), all-new A4 sedan/Avant (Sept. 2008), TTS coupe and Roadster (end 2008), new A6 with the new 300 hp 3.0 TFSI supercharged V6 engine (Jan 2009), Audi Q7 3.0 TDI (Q1 2009), and Audi Q5 (Q1 2009). For more information, please visit www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com.