Is Audi Serious? Green Police Ad Falls Flat
February 1st, 2010 // 7:40 am @ Miss Electric
Audi is planning a new social media campaign for its line of clean diesel vehicles that features a fictitious law enforcement agency called the Green Police. In it, a “Green Police” officer speaks pseudo-seriously about napkin use when eating lunch. After his mini-diatribe, the ad says, “Sponsored by Audi.”
I am not really sure what potential Audi consumers are supposed to get from this ad. There is no mention of looking good in a slick, clean machine, saving money at the pump, or even getting decent resale value from an Audi. Nothing in this ad speaks to stylistic legacy of Audi or testifies to the advanced technology that powers the next generation of diesel vehicles. In fact, the ad seemed completely unrelated to anything that Audi has stood for in the past or what it could stand for in the future.
This recent ad campaign makes me think that automakers are not really sure how to use the social media space. It is extremely important for automakers to understand that advertising in the social media space does not mean making a fool of yourself by creating YouTube-like parodies. If you are going to venture into that space, at least create a message that is (1) actually funny and (2) incorporates something about the value of your product into the action.
It is also important to do a little more homework before using terms like “Green Police” in your advertising. Some sources have stated that the term “Green Police” used to refer to a group affiliated with Nazi persecution.
Let’s hope that Audi doesn’t continue with this campaign and is able to get its green marketing strategy back on track.
Category : Marketing EVs