Audi kicks off hometown Redskins partnership
- Unique deal stakes out D.C. region as Audi of America home turf
- Spacious all-new Audi Club, built to Audi design standards, will dominate FedExField’s east end zone to offer suite-level amenities
- Audi brand presence will be found throughout stadium, in TV ads, e-mails to ticket holders and Redskins “Twackle” Twitter messages
HERNDON, Va., Sep 23, 2009 - Audi signed a wide-ranging, five-year deal with the Washington Redskins to provide a level of brand integration that’s unique in the NFL.
The partnership offers Audi and Washington-area Audi dealers extensive opportunities to interact with some of professional football’s most dedicated fans. The Audi brand and Audi performance vehicles will enjoy prominence at FedExField, in television advertising and Redskins social media applications. Notably, the Redskins and Audi are completely remodeling the east end of FedExField to Audi design standards. The result will be a new 13,000-square-foot Audi Club for all premium seating-level fans to enjoy during games and special events.
Audi of America moved its headquarters to Herndon, Va., during the summer of 2008 and this agreement establishes Audi as the hometown team in the Washington, D.C. market.
“Audi is making it a top high priority to be a vital presence in our new home,” said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. “Joining up with the Washington Redskins and the team’s passionate fans sends a clear signal that Audi will play an active role for years to come in one of the world’s most dynamic cities. I look forward to expanding this relationship and expanding our role in the region’s communities alongside an organization with deep local roots.”
Neither Audi nor the Washington Redskins are revealing financial details of their new agreement.
“We’re thrilled with the way Audi has integrated its product and brand into a signature presence at the stadium,” said Washington Redskins Chief Operating Officer, Mitch Gershman. “The exposure of Audi and its world-class automobiles to our fans is particularly appropriate in the FedExField setting.”
Remodeling work has been underway throughout the preseason on the Audi Club. When completed in time for the Sunday, Sept. 20 Redskins home opener, the climate-controlled lounge will feature two Audi display vehicles, 16 large flat screen televisions tuned to NFL action plus four flat screen monitors showing messages sent by Redskins fans via the team’s Audi-sponsored “Twackle” application for Twitter.
The Audi Club at FedExField will have a soaring window wall and a design in keeping with the Audi terminal architectural style found in Audi dealerships and corporate facilities worldwide. The Audi attention to detail is also on display in this partnership through measures like newly routed power supplies that enable the four Audi vehicles displayed around the stadium to show off their signature LED lights.
Other highlights of the partnership include:
• VIP Platinum Audi parking lots where Audi owners with game tickets and a Platinum parking pass provided by local Audi dealerships can park for free.
• Audi banners ringing the perimeter of the stadium and one 50-by-50-foot Audi entrance-gate banner.
• Audi branding on the backdrop for team press conferences at FedExField, away games and the Redskins training facility in nearby Ashburn, Va.
• An Audi luxury suite in FedExField for corporate, regional sales or dealership use.
• In-stadium rotating ads.
• Online banners and video on Redskins.com
• Advertisements on Redskins Game Plan, the pre-game show that airs Sundays at 11:30 a.m. on NBC-affiliate WRC 4 in the D.C. market.
• Opportunities for Audi customers to get exclusive access to Redskins events.
Just last month, Audi reported the second-best August in its history of selling cars in the U.S. The 26 percent gain in Audi sales from a year earlier ranked as the strongest performance of any luxury automotive brand in the U.S. as well, led by record sales for the Audi Q5 crossover and the A5/S5 Coupes.