Audi just posted this on Facebook and it made me bust a gut. I mean I literally LOL'ed at the end of it. Which is what they wanted me to do.
My initial reaction afterwards was to post it on the Fossum Creative Facebook Page and rave about how brilliant it was and why it worked so well. But then I started to read some of the comments, and they snapped me back to reality.
Most of the comments came from Audi owners — of which I am one — who weren't too happy with it. Sure it was funny, but what does it have to do with the brand? And how does it make people want to buy an Audi?
Do the prisoners represent Audi owners? If so, what does that say about us?
Is Kenny G the new face of Audi? If so, what does that say about the brand? (With all due props to the man for poking a ton of fun at himself and even dropping the f-bomb quite successfully.)
Audi is a really cool brand. But stylish cool. Classy cool. Elite (in a good way) cool. Even grown-up cool (it happens to the best of us).
But it is not ironic cool. We don't drive our Audis ironically. And there is nothing ironic about the brand. It isn't what we pay for.
Toyota can pull off irony in their advertising with the the Sienna Family and their Swagger Wagon because they are appealing to families and playing off of the stigma that comes with minivans. And because they are going after a different audience with different needs.
The Kenny G spot is apparently a preview of something bigger; some new ad that will blow our minds this Super Bowl Sunday. But while it made me laugh, in hindsight, it didn't make me feel proud of my Audi affiliation. And if the feedback on Facebook is any indication, I'm not alone in this.
It's a funny concept. Great execution. Wrong brand entirely.
What do you think about it? Leave your comments below and let us know!
Comments