Comments on: Do Your Part: Buy an Audi, Drive Fast

By: myob1776

myob1776 — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:55:27 +0000

Received back from Audi:

“Thank you for contacting Audi of America. We appreciate your feedback
on our A3 TDI clean diesel television advertisement. With this
commercial our goal is to communicate that with our TDI vehicles, people
can continue to “do their part” for reduced environmental impact while
enjoying a sporty and dynamic driving experience. The A3 TDI utilizes
the world’s cleanest diesel technology and reduces emissions by over
30%. There are plenty of alternative transportation options that exist
and our intention was never to diminish those other transportation
options, but rather emphasize that the Audi A3 TDI can just make your
priority of being more environmentally conscious a great deal more fun.

Thank you for your feedback.”

Seems to me their depiction of riding a bus, a bike, a Segway-wannabe, and a vegetable-oil-fueled car WAS more than a little “diminishing.”

By: Paul B

Paul B — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:45:03 +0000

Lighten up! Nice ride.

By: Brad Aaron

Brad Aaron — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:00:34 +0000

Steve, I lived like “most Americans” for 30 years, and have bought and sold more cars than I can remember without a pen and a pad. I agree that plenty of people will respond positively to this. What real American doesn’t want the easy solution — to the extent that paying for a $30K car is easy — while being congratulated to boot?

I thought it was understood that that was part of the problem.

By: steve

steve — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:46:30 +0000

i think sometimes (many times) a lot of you don’t realize how most of Americans live, who they are. Get out of your bubble. PLENTY of people will respond positively to this ad.

By: Ann

Ann — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:17:34 +0000

Seems like these traditional adverts (30 second video made for TV) only hurt the brand. Who watches TV anymore?? And here we see it going viral on the wrong media channel! Waste of time and brain.

By: steve

steve — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:38:53 +0000

nanterking & J:Lai have it right

By: Mark Walker

Mark Walker — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:33:50 +0000

J:Lai, if that’s the case, why didn’t the ad ridicule SUVs?

By: J:Lai

J:Lai — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:44:32 +0000

I think some of you guys missed the point.
This ad is targeting people who currently own an SUV or something like that, and want to be more environementally conscious without giving up what they see as the benefits of owning a car.
That fact that it insults people who travel by means other than a car is probably an unintended consequence.

By: J. Mork

J. Mork — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:27:21 +0000

Thank goodness people like us don’t have to ride the bus with all of the swarthy and black people.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:13:06 +0000

42 MPG? Not bad.

By: Cap'n Transit

Cap'n Transit — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:44:19 +0000

For anyone who hasn't seen it, part of the intro credits scene from Office Space.

By: zach

zach — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:26:09 +0000

Play their game! Let’s get the intro credits scene from Office Space on some ads! The old guy in the walker passing the commuters in their cars is classic. People walking down the street listening to ipods and talking, while people are stuck in traffic fuming. How about the video for REM’s Everybody Hurts? Yelling at Audi only shows that the ads work and it got people thinking about Audi. If the City wants bridge tolls on the East River, it needs ads with buses flying down Flatbush and across the bridge.

By: The Dynamic Mumeshantz

The Dynamic Mumeshantz — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:18:10 +0000

I wish they would stop airing this ad during NFL games. It is seriously pissing me off.

By: Marty Barfowitz

Marty Barfowitz — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:42:01 +0000

It’s like Audi realizes its losing the eco-conscious consumer vote so they put out a negative ad against bikes and transit. Clearly, this means that bikes and transit are winning. You only go negative when you know you’re losing.

By: Design New Haven

Design New Haven — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:26:46 +0000

Thanks for the scintillating ad, Audi.

I’ll think twice now before buying one of your vehicles, assuming that I ever decide that it makes economic sense to use anything beyond a Zipcar, bus, trains, bike and my own feet

By: Nathan H.

Nathan H. — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:23:42 +0000

The only demographic for this commercial is internet trolls.

By: nanterking

nanterking — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:53:44 +0000

And sorry, Mark, but Audi is not afraid of non-automotive transportation. They’re using the comparison to create a memorable ad, and are hardly concerned about someone seriously comparing an Audi A3 to a bicycle for his next transportation purchase.

By: nanterking

nanterking — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:46:17 +0000

They’re drawing on the negative aspects of the alternative forms of transportation that are associated with “green” living to sell their cars. I don’t see where the problem is. Most people don’t want to commute in the rain on their bicycles, and most people don’t care for the cramped conditions on subways and buses. The guy on the segway simply deserves ridicule.

And it’s your, not you’re.

Why can’t we all just get along, as Rodney King once said? Audi is advertising a car that gets excellent mileage and is an excellent alternative to those who would consider a gas-guzzling SUV, the very demographic that isn’t going to even consider getting on a bicycle to commute.

By: er

er — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:20:18 +0000

If it’s gotten to the point where their competition is biking, busing, and walking, then we must be doing something right. Go team!

By: Bill from Brooklyn

Bill from Brooklyn — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:38:20 +0000

Excellent idea to email Audi through their website. I just left the following message:

I just saw your commercial for the clean fuel diesel Audi. I am also an executive with 30 years experience. If our advertising people presented a similar type of ad for our business, I would be appalled. You insult the very market you are trying to embrace. As a car driver, who commutes by both bicycle and mass transit, I know one vehicle, yours, that will not be on my list for future consideration.