Audi’s getting aggressive in U.S.

' “We have 22 vehicles in the lineup already and the other 18 in our heads,” said Michael Dick, Audi’s Product Development Chief.'

His name makes me jealous.... ;)

People knock Lexus for extensive advertising, and yet they have more of an excuse for it! There's absolutely nothing wrong with marketing, specially when you're in the business of selling products! Let alone luxury automobiles!!!

Audi should have done this years ago.

Unfortuantely advertising doesn't make better products.

Advertising something is better than not advertising at all (i.e. Audi post the 60 Minutes scandal).

They are going to need more than advertising to help VW/Audi gain customers in North America. There is tremendous competition for the consumer dollar there, and it will be tough trying to steal sales from Lexus and BMW.

Is that car the next 6 series killer??

Its a 3 serious competitor.

3 series* .... what was I thinking of....

Initially, it thought this was a great move for Audi. But, why havn't they had a huge marketing campaign in the first place? BMW has incresed there sales substantially over the last decade because of their marketing, why wouldn't Audi do the same.

There are many reasons Audi hasn't done a huge ad campaign in the past.

At first, they built primarily European cars. If we Americans liked them, that was fine, but not essential. We're going back to the mid 1980's here mind you. At that point, Audi was mostly a VW product. The focus was not the same back then. Audi did not gain autonomy from VW till 1994.

When Peich decided he wanted to make Audi a true rival to BMW and MB it was about 1995 and the TT was a show car traveling the circuit making headlines. The new 1996 A4 soon followed and signaled the rebirth of the brand in the US as we now know it today. The only problem was money. Audi was only selling 20000 cars/year at that time in the US, and really couldn't justify a huge marketing expendature. Besides, they were doing well in Europe and had a hard time filling orders there, so the focus remained on the homeland.

Fast forward 10 yrs. After establishing themselves well in Europe and not having to make excuses to anyone for the product, Audi has reached a saturation point. Sure, there is a little growth left in the former Soviet block countries, but the real growth areas today are Asia and the USA.

Confusion still exists at Audi mainly because of the type of marketing they do in Europe, which has been low key and subtle but still very effective. They just don't understand why we don't "get it" over here in the US. (Lack of PHD's maybe?)

After years of hearing dealers complain about the ineffective campaigns, the contract finally ran out with the previous group and Audi has hired a new one that really understands the US. They are about to "get in our faces" a little bit with a whole new message.

All of those awards and accolades you read about in car buff magazines, trade journals, consumer publications, and safety organizations is about to become public knowledge. That's fine for enthusiasts and people who have been actively reading those sources for information during the car buying process however, the general public has been...well, uninformed.

A new ad agency, a new awarness of where future growth can and will take place in the world, the products already in place or coming shortly and money to back it all up and ta da! You have the "New Face of Audi"!

It is hard to choose what to take from the picture above, the person on the right or S5!