Audi is a German luxury car manufacturer that designs, engineers, produces, markets and distributes its vehicles across the globe. Founded in 1910, this famous brand is well known for its luxury sports cars, 4x4s and other models.
Over the years, Audi has brought us some unforgettable campaigns including “The Art of the Heist,” an interactive transmedia reality game created to promote the Audi A3. The game generated a great deal of international attention and countless individuals got involved to help solve the mystery of the missing A3. This was one of the largest and most experiential advertising campaigns ever executed, with immense success.
Audi’s approach to social media can teach us a great deal about how to market your business properly.
With that in mind, listed below are some top digital marketing lessons from this clever brand:
Stick to what works
Audi doesn’t simply throw adverts onto the internet to see what works. They carefully select their themes and when something resonates with their audience, they continue to pursue it.
Take one look at their Instagram page. Instead of mixing things up tremendously like other brands do (think Starbucks or Krispy Kreme), they stick to what works: images of various Audi models, typically on the road. Occasionally they mix things up by getting creative with the Audi logo, but the images that seem to generate the highest response rate are those of actual Audi cars in action.
Don’t get caught up in always bringing your customers something innovative and fresh if they’re positively responding to your current strategy.
Remain consistent
Something noticeable about Audi’s approach to advertising - and many other auto brands for that matter - is that they are fiercely consistent. For instance, their online ads mirror the TV ads, which likewise mirror their billboards and print ads. Avid followers of the brand will notice the subtle differences between each ad, but overall this method is incredibly powerful in creating a strong, holistic ad campaign that stays in the audiences’ minds for a long time to come.
Create videos
Car brands such as Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi rely very heavily on online video to engage their audience. Traditionally, car manufacturers focused almost exclusively on television advertising, but with the prevalence of the internet and social media, transitioning to video ads is a natural next step.
Audi has created countless videos and uploaded them onto its YouTube channel, with immense success. According to studies carried out by Martini Media, 95% of car brands believe that rich video media is as effective, if not more so, than TV advertising.
As a brand, transitioning to video seems the obvious choice and even if you have a strong offline presence, this transition shouldn’t be difficult. Remember to keep your videos short, interesting and highly shareable, placing them on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and of course, your website.
How can we help?
If you need help with your next digital marketing campaign, get in touch. 8 Ways Media is a leading digital marketing agency with a special focus on branding, web design, User Experience and SEO. We’ve worked with countless brands, large and small, helping them to adjust their approach to marketing and branding for even greater success.
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