Audi's mega-buck advertising blitz

Audi has spent $3 million on its first Australian brand advertising campaign, which includes the chance for the public to produce their own television commercial.

'Australia: Land of quattro', is a local take on an international Audi campaign that already features in countries including Russia, Italy and Germany.

The highest profile component of the campaign is a TVC (television commercial) shot and produced in Australia, and featuring a Q5 in various different distinctly Australians settings. It premiered on Channel 10’s Masterchef last night and will run for six weeks.

But additional footage shot by the advertising production house Holler is available via a website for members of the general public to cut up and use in the creation of a new commercial.

Audi Australia calculates that with the offered footage able to be cut up in one-second increments there are more than 1.27 billion possible variations.

The best entry, as judged by a panel including Audi Australia managing director Andrew Doyle and brand ambassadors Richard Roxburgh and Asher Keddie will air nationally on September 29 with the entrant credited as the director. In addition, the winner will be flown to the Austrian Alps for the 'Audi ice experience' and Germany for a visit to Audi's headquarters in Ingolstadt.

"This is an Australian campaign, for the Australian lifestyle and demonstrates that quattro is synonymous with the land and the lifestyles Australians lead. We’ve designed it to build emotion and establish a strong brand connection," said Kevin Goult, Audi Australia’s General Manager of Marketing.

Other aspects of the campaign include the development of urban test tracks in warehouses in Melbourne and Sydney for what Audi describes as "a major experiential activity" named 'Australia. Land of quattro: LIVE'. It's an opportunity for prospective Audi buyers to put the company's all-wheel drive systems through their paces without trekking out to the back of beyond.

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