This one minute Superbowl advert from Audi this year was not your usual car advert. There were no scenic mountain views or emphasis on sleek dashboards. Instead it tells a short story of an anxious American prom-goer.
A typical young teenage boy is faced with the unhappy prospect of attending the high school prom alone. The boy looks dismal and unenthusiastic as he goes to leave his house. His dad calls him back, tosses him the keys to his 2013 Audi S6 and suddenly we can see his confidence bloom. He drives to the school car park, takes the principles space and struts into the party with pride in toe. Once inside he suddenly steals an impassioned kiss from the prom queen, followed by an inflamed black eye from the prom king. We then see him diving down the highway with a grin on his face, it was worth it.
The overall message is that an Audi will give you confidence, confidence to do anything you want.
I like this advert mostly because I am a car fan who salivates at the sight of a TT or R8 on the road, but also because it is like a mini movie. It throws out a plot and leaves the audience to choose how it plays out. This evokes conversation around the advert and the brand itself. It gives the consumer a sense of control, which evokes confidence - exactly what the ad is depicting.
What I don’t understand is why the luxury automakes spent millions on a placement of an advert which essential only targets a younger hipper market . Okay maybe some American kids get Jeeps as a gift at their ‘Sweet 16’ party but that is only what I have seen on MTV. The Washington Post estimates that the cost for a 30 second slot during the Superbowl costs a hefty $3.5 million. It is known that the typical luxury car buyers are the baby boomer crowd and theresoe I don’t see selling an older man’s car to a younger man as an appropriate objective for Audi.
Maybe they have done their market research and the generation X kids will keep the brand at the top of mind when they can afford the luxury. I suppose the baby boomers won’t be around forever and automakers must prime the pump for new buyers.
Author: Laura Smith
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