Audi A8 de Nieuwe Audi A8. Detail Voor Detail

  Audi A8: De nieuwe Audi A8. Detail voor detail Integrated Marketing Communications Council Europe

Silver, IMC European Awards 2011

Audi A8: De nieuwe Audi A8. Detail voor detail

Agency name: KOEN Merkactivatie

Client name: Pon's Automobielhandel B.V.

Category: Direct 1:1 Communication

BACKGROUND

The Audi A8 is Audi's most prestigious model. It is a car in the ‘luxury’ F-segment, which was dominated by the Mercedes Benz

S-Class until the end of 2008. In 2009, the BMW 7-series took the lead in the segment. Over the past few years, Audi has not

been able to hold the number 1 spot, but with the new Audi A8, Audi has the ambition of competing with Mercedes and BMW

for the top position in the segment.

Audi introduced the new Audi A8 with a starting price of €114,000. Goal: to sell 50 cars in the pre-launch phase. A ‘bespoke’ 

strategy based on personal face-to-face contact led this campaign. The relationship between the Audi dealers and the

prospects was vital. The target group is very demanding, so we invited them to convince themselves detail by detail. During

the campaign, eight details about the car were unveiled behind a closed web environment. Each detail was announced in an

e-mail and was coupled to intimate, exclusive ‘money-cannot-buy’ events. This resulted in 104 cars sold even before they

arrived in the showrooms. This also allowed Audi to become the market leader in the premium segment.

NATIONAL CONTEXT OF THE CAMPAIGN

This campaign was structured based on insight into the Dutch potential customers. How could we get this pampered and

difficult-to-activate customer to become truly interested in the new Audi A8 over a longer period? We made only limited use of

the international campaign for the new Audi A8, using only those elements that fit into the ‘bespoke’ strategy for the Dutch

market.

OBJECTIVES

Business objectives

l Audi's ambition is to become the most successful automotive brand in the luxury segment.

l To attain the number 1 position in the luxury segment.

Commercial objectives

   Title: Audi A8: De nieuwe Audi A8. Detail voor detail

   Source: Integrated Marketing Communications Council Europe

   Issue: Silver, IMC European Awards 2011

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l 50 orders for the A8 (8-cilinder only)

Communication objectives

l A database with 750 high-quality hot prospects (serious purchase signals, such as ordering a brochure, opening eDMs,

attending events and static previews, taking test drives) by the end of the campaign.

l 150 prospects attending the static preview (auto on display, but no test drives).

l 100 prospects attending the dynamic preview (test drive; the car is brought to the prospect).

STRATEGY

The target group is primarily composed of men over the age of 40 with an annual income of € 150,000. CEOs, directors of

companies and entrepreneurs. This is a target group that is difficult to reach and to activate.

Insights:

1. The target group is very critical of everything. No matter how good it is, it could always be better.

2. The target group does not ‘shop’ at various dealerships; they primarily use their own networks. This means that they do

not visit dealerships, but generally know the directors of dealerships via their local business networks.

3. When making a purchase, money plays a secondary role; doing a particular dealer a favour is often a more important

consideration.

4. The target group is very pampered. They have bought just about everything that is for sale.

These insights led to the creation of a ‘bespoke strategy’. In the end, the experience and the personal attention are more

important than the purchase itself. This strategy is based on three pillars: attention, personal devotion and offering

experiences that cannot be bought.

The relationship between the dealer and the prospect is vital to capitalising on his network and ‘favour factor’. We therefore

compiled a prospect database specifically for each dealer. Audi developed the campaign, but the dealer directed it. He sent all

of the communication and determined what the prospect received.

We expanded this into the contact strategy as well. The target group had to experience that they were part of the ‘chosen’ few.

Means of communication:

l closed web environment with exclusive information;

l direct mail or e-DM providing access to the web environment;

l intimate ‘money cannot buy’ events (max. 20 people);

l static previews where the dealers were able to view the cars together with their prospects;

l dynamic preview in which the new Audi A8 is brought to the prospect and then picked up when finished.

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Budget:

l Online 55%

l Direct mail 10%

l Events 35%

CREATIVE STRATEGY

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The target group and the Audi A8 are similar in many ways. The most important similarities are a progressive, entrepreneurial

mentality and a critical eye for details. We therefore invited the target group with the motto:

Convince yourself. Detail by detail.

We let the target group become familiar with every detail of the new Audi A8. These details are not about the standard car

gadgets, but about the stories behind the details that make the Audi A8 so exclusive. For example, we explain that Audi has its

own walnut tree plantation in California to provide the walnut wood for the dashboard. And how a hydroelectric plant in

Scandinavia makes the aluminium for the lightweight Audi Space Frame. The other six details were explained in the same

manner.

In doing so, we deliberately chose for a high-quality but subdued design for the mailings, eDMs, website and events. Not too

frivolous, extravagant or emphatic. This is in keeping with the Audi brand and the target group's mentality, and supports the

content of the message we wish to communicate.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Every year Audi organises the Audi Communication Awards. Every country can enter their best national campaign. The

campaigns are judged on creativity and effectiveness. Out of 45 countries/campaigns, 3 campaigns won a Audi

Communication Award in 2010. The campaign ‘The new Audi A8. Convince yourself detail by detail’ won silver.

© Copyright European Association of Communications Agencies 2011 European Association of Communications Agencies

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