Big Auto is Back
If you work with anyone who lived and breathed Detroit back in the day, you’ve heard the stories of lavish press junkets, insane reveal events and the general awesomeness of how Big Auto showcased their product back in the hay-day of automotive marketing.
Then the recession. Then bailouts. Then…well…then.
That was then. This is now, and Audi has decided that scaling back on how consumers meet, see, touch and feel their product is the one area that should not be reduced. Thus, their announcement to spend $14.3 million bucks on an indoor test track at this year’s Frankfurt auto show is a breath of fresh air…and a shot across the bow of BMW & Mercedes-Benz.
As the announcement reads, this is not the first time a lux auto mfg. has brought a track to a trade show. In fact, BMW brought a track to the same event in 2009. I enjoyed BMW & Intel’s F1 experience at CES a few years back.
So this isn’t new, per se…and while the scale and scope of this effort is impressive (328 feet long, 70 meters wide and 12 meters high), I’m more excited about the timing. At a time when everything is going digital…including test drives…here is a brand that has a full grasp of the art of immersion. As Frank Rose, who’s book with that same title explains, technology has come a long way…but is still a long way from giving us the full sensory experiences we seek in the real world.
Not only will Audi have a dozen models available for test drives, they’ll throw in a few of their high-performance race cars to give consumers a taste of the forbidden fruit. The experience goes well beyond the tactical elements and will serve as beacon for the brand. Bernhard Neumann, head of event marketing at Audi says, “The building is an expression of dynamism, lightness and elegance.” Strong post-recession words from a brand that is looking to elevate themselves into a new stratosphere of luxury.
It is certainly noted that the Frankfurt Auto Show is essentially the Super Bowl of the German automotive world, with BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Porsche all based within 300 miles of the event. Of course this is the place where the big guns are brought out and nothing is left to chance.
But this commitment not only to experiential marketing…but to a holistic and immersive experience…gives me hope and provides inspiration for the future of our business.
Tip off from PSFK