Audi launches A3 Sportback with major new campaign

The ad campaign includes national TV, cinema, lift ‘wraps’, radio, OOH, print and digital executions, while artistic interpretations of  the A3 will be projected onto the back of the historic George Street warehouses (opposite the Overseas Passenger Terminal) during VIVID and will be visible to people walking between Camp Cove to the Museum of Contemporary Arts at The Rocks.

For the TVC, the company partnered with well-known French electronic band, Daft Punk to use the track Harder, better, faster, stronger (Discovery: 2001), an upbeat track that perfectly highlights the benefits of Audi’s third generation A3 Sportback.

The campaign pays particular attention to the quality of the interior and exterior of the new model, and to surround target audiences with the contemporary features of the A3, a 3D version of the TVC was created for cinema placements. Also on the topic of ‘surrounding‘ potential customers comes the innovative elevator wraps which feature imagery of the vehicle on the exterior doors and then envelops ‘passengers‘ into the car’s interior when they step inside the lift.

Highlighting Audi’s major involvement in the arts, the A3 will be featured as part of Audi’s sponsorship of the Sydney Film Festival. An A3 Sportback will be on display in Martin Place for the festival duration, with the idea that the A3 will have the ‘Best Seats in the House’ in front of the large screen set up.

The screen will play SFF film trailers with popcorn to giveaway and a competition will be held to win tickets for two to attend the London Film Festival.

“The locally developed headline ‘Ahead of its class’ is a confident statement on the positioning of both the Audi A3, paying homage to our launch and continued development of the premium compact segment, and also to the Audi brand ethos – Vorsprung durch Technik,” said Audi General Manager Marketing, Kevin Goult.

“This campaign also sees us making the most of the largest out-of-home buy the company has ever purchased, with eye-catching billboards and clever media placements like our elevator wraps and consecutive street panels that allow us to promote the high level of quality on both the car’s exterior and interior, and standard features like leather upholstery, automatic climate control and multi media interface with touchpad, a full colour slimline pop-up screen and integrated radio,“ Mr Goult said.

One of the strengths of the Audi A3 Sportback is its broad appeal. Young, ambitious singles as well as young couples are all attracted the design, functionality and versatility of the A3 Sportback, with most in the 30-49 age group. Nevertheless, the A3 Sportback is also highly desirable among young adults who have not yet left the family home, aged under 29, along with ‘empty nesters’ aged over 60. One theme is clear throughout all these target groups: discerning buyers want to differentiate themselves by their choice of vehicle.

Since the A3 was first launched in 1997, more than 2.7 million customers worldwide have taken delivery of an Audi A3 making it one of the most significant models in the company’s extensive premium range. Almost 18,000 Australian customers have owned the A3 since it was first launched.

Agency credits

Creative agency: RAPP Sydney
Digital creative agency: Holler Sydney
Media agency: Mediacom Sydney

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The Audi Group delivered more than 1,455,100 cars of the Audi brand to customers in 2012. In 2012, the Company posted revenue of €48.8 billion and an operating profit of €5.4 billion. Audi produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Gy?r (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium). The Audi Q7 is built in Bratislava (Slovakia). In November 2012, CKD production of the Audi Q7 was added to the existing Audi A4, A6 and Q5 manufacturing operations in Aurangabad (India). At the Brussels plant, production of the Audi A1 has been running since 2010, while production of the new A1 Sportback began in 2012. The Audi Q3 has been built in Martorell (Spain) since June 2011. The Company is active in more than 100 markets worldwide. AUDI AG’s wholly owned subsidiaries include AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft. (Gy?r, Hungary), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy), AUDI BRUSSELS S.A./N.V. (Brussels, Belgium), quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm and the sports motorcycle manufacturer Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna, Italy). Audi currently employs more than 68,000 people worldwide, including around 50,000 in Germany. The brand with the four rings plans to invest a total of €11 billion by 2015 – mainly in new products and the expansion of production capacities – in order to sustain the Company’s technological lead embodied in its “Vorsprung durch Technik” claim. Audi is currently expanding its site in Gy?r (Hungary) and will start production in Foshan (China) in late 2013 and in San José Chiapa (Mexico) in 2016.

Audi has long been fulfilling its social responsibility on many levels – with the aim of making the future worth living for generations to come. The basis for Audi’s lasting success is therefore formed by environmental protection, the conservation of resources, international competitiveness and a forward-looking human resources policy. One example of AUDI AG’s commitment to environmental issues is the Audi Environmental Foundation. Within the context of “Vorsprung durch Technik”, which extends far beyond its products, the Company is directing its activities toward a major goal – comprehensive CO2-neutral mobility.