Advertising and Marketing of Audi - Essay Example

Report On Advertising and Marketing of Audi It is indisputable that methods of advertising and marketing for various companies and products are rapidly changing with the increase in globalization. The growth in technology that has seen great innovation and advancement in the methods of production has eventually escalated the level of competition in the global market. Car industry that is victim of the rapidly changing technology and globalization has automatically witnessed immense changes in the advertising and marketing methods. Audi is one of the car models that has witnessed great shift in its production, advertising and marketing techniques necessitated by the high rate of globalization and technological advancement. Currently, Audi is an international car model known to develop classic and luxury cars. Existence of cars like Mercedes Benz and BMW that also depict similar status as Audi has proved serious and challenging business environment for Audi. For many years, certain section of the market has tended to consume particular products by looking at the country of production. There are just particular countries that customers believe produces genuine and high quality products. Germany the original home country of Audi, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen and BMW has been among countries trusted to manufacture quality and high standard cars. This belief ensured Germany a special niche in the market as producers of classic and high quality cars. Most of cars from Germany have had a very wide market due to this perception. Despite the stiff competition faced from among car brands of Germany and world in general, Audi has managed to secure and even expand its international image and market altogether. This depicts that Audi is doing something unique different from its competitors like Mercedes Benz and BMW, which boast of big names in the car market. Continued survival of Audi in the international market and even protection of its image and brand name in the highly competitive global could definitely attributes to its exceptional advertising and marketing techniques and not traditional big names inferred for German cars. To begin with, Audi has been involving in direct confrontation with its immediate class competitor, which is BMW.1The most latest direct confrontation involved of Audi and BMW appeared in an advertisement intended to familiarize a new Audi A4. In this billboard advertisement, Audi used the words “Your Move, BMW” that directly targeted to warn BMW that its perceived dominance in the class was under check. BMW countered this advertisement in a very offensive manner that later triggered another direct reply from Audi upon the introduction of the exotic R8 brand2. The billboard for this advertisement was immediately beside that of the BMW with phrase, “Your pawn is no match for our king.” The possible intention of such an advertisement was to lower the actual status of advertised BMW car portrayed in the advertisement. This kind of advertisement seemed very aggressive thus proving to the public about the increasing command gained by Audi in the local market. Audi has also adopted an advertisement technique relating to the currently widespread technology. For instance, Audi has sought collaboration with the expensive and classy iPhone. In the collaboration, Audi created a car game a free game name the A4 driving challenge 2.0 installed in the iPhone. This advertisement created perception of the Audi A4 as a special car for the rich and wealthy individuals. According to Audi zone this advertisement portrayed Audi as the very first automobile company to exploit, the special features of iPhone that particularly targeted scientifically oriented customers. Audi zone also points at the newly developed online advertisement website cliqued “Meet the Beckers.”3 This website particularly intends and targets rich families who own Audi cars. The advertisement exists in two episodes that launch direct attack against the competitors of Audi. One of the episodes in this advertisement intends to convince the Audi owners that they are classy and superior over other consumers who use cars manufactured by its competitors. Another episode of the advertisement ridicules an person for driving a purple colored BMW car. 4The continued success of Audi in the international market attributes to its increased involvement in the social events like sports where it advertises and markets its products to the consumers. For instance, Audi organized football sports seasons in US with particular intention to familiarize its consumers to the newly developed Audi S Model intended to hit the car market in 2013. Audi has used these football events to advertise and market its main product where it has used a campaign tagline “Heighten Every Moment.” The campaign also involved a 60-second television advertisement informing potential consumers of the kick-off date of the NFL5. The Super Bowl advertisement of torment organized by Audi in the US market also worked to broaden its market in the region. The sub branch of Audi Car Company in America has also worked to promote the car brand in the market. This occurred due to the introduction of the Audi TDI based on a technology that use clean diesel. Branding of Audi using such green qualities attracted great demand from customers who believe in the protection of environment. Moreover, Audi has improved its advertisement and marketing strategies by introducing a Truth documentary unveiling the historical background of Audi depicting its longitudinal successes in the car market6. Audi also allowed the use of its car brand in Iron Man movie that has also worked to increase the base of its advertisement and market within the American market. According to Herndon, advertisement and marketing strategies of Audi have involved national campaigns challenging American drivers to keep their pledges of ensuring safety, responsible and smarter driving to avoid causing accidents. In making the campaigns successful, Audi has used the “Driver’s Pledge” as the main tagline to pass its message to the motorists. In the demonstration of Herndon, Audi immensely used this campaign program to market its new Audi A6 of 2012. Audi A6 model defines one of the latest models of car built on the most recent technology. This advertisement depicted responsible nature of the Audi car manufacturers over the safety of their consumers and roads users in USA. The technology used to build this model of car also stands to confirm the purpose of its campaign bearing installation of tracking devices, MMI, and Night Vision Assistant among others. References Audi Zone, Audis Marketing Strategies, 2012, retrieved 27 November 2012, . Dolan, R, How Audi Uses Viral Marketing, 2012, retrieved 27 November 2012, . Herndon, Audi Challenges Drivers to ‘Take the Pledge’ for Better, Safer Road, retrieved 27 November 2012, . Herndon, Audi Kicks Off NFL Season with First-Ever Campaign for S Models, 2012, retrieved 27 November 2012, . Leclair, J, Outstanding Branding: Audi, 2011, retrieved 27 November 2012, . Schwartz, R, Audi vs BMW: The War Escalates, 2012, retrieved 27 November 2012, . Read More