Situation

In 2019 Audi launched the first fully electric Audi e-tron in Germany. The challenge: Audi is not the first mover in electric-mobility. And: although people love the idea of e-mobility, they still don’t buy into it.

Brief

Leverage the German ATL-launch campaign with experiential marketing. Let people experience the superiority of the Audi e-tron through test drives, events or whatever.

Objectives

Generate as many test drives as possible in 50 days with max. 10 cars. Create impact, excitement and awareness through a bold idea. Give people something to like & share.

For 50 days we took over Munich Airport with the Audi e-tron meteorite! A three-storey building, impossible to ignore, with on-site test drive parcour, interactive exhibits, e-scooter race track and a bar/lounge area. Open for everyone. Playful, inspiring and engaging.

The polygonal design of the building is inspired by a meteorite – fascinating and rough outside – warm and glowing inside. A metaphor for an arrival with great impact: Audi e-tron is here.

Hotspot approach:

To maximize the number of test drives (10 cars) and impact, we decided to take over a single venue for 50 days instead of a roadshow. Munich Airport was the perfect location with 22m business visitors p.a. who perfectly fit our target group of premium car buyers.

On-site test drives:

As many visitors only have a limited amount of time, on-site test drives were key to our experience strategy. It was a tough fight to get the permission! We managed to build a 175m track with 26° ramp to showcase all the USPs of the Audi e-tron quattro.

Experience & activation:

e-tron is more than a car, it stands for the Audi vision of sustainable mobility and an ecosystem of services. People could experience e-tron holistically in our interactive exhibits. To further activate the meteorite and create buzz, influencers, VIPs and Audi customers were invited.

Implementation:

- Steel structure covered with triangular wooden panels

- Container architecture inside

- Live poll on electric mobility: “What drives you?”

- Hololens: “Discover e-tron technology with augmented reality”

- Interactive exhibits around second-life battery concepts and charging infrastructure

- Trick-art mirror installation: “Change your perspective”

- Kids journey with specific exhibits on sustainability and future mobility

- Playstation with race seats (Audi e-tron vision Gran Turismo)

- Slide from second floor to the Plaza

- Light installations with hundreds of LED bulbs and tubes

- Organic lemonade – only with paper straws ;)

Timeline:

- Run-time: January 18 – March 15 2019

- Development time: July 2018 – January 2019

Placement:

Munich International Airport, Terminal Plaza

Scale:

Total area of 3000 sqm with 175m test drive parcour, 3-storey-building with 360 sqm

“The e-tron meteorite was the most successful test drive and experience format in our history – a true sales machine” (Horst Hanschur, Head of sales strategy & retail business development at Audi AG). In 50 days we have generated 18,000 test drives (=36 test drives per car and day), 90,000 active visitors and hundreds of thousands passing by, wowing, taking and sharing pictures. This has resulted in a social media reach of 34 million and 4.68 million social media engagements (13.8% interaction rate). In short: the Audi e-tron meteorite has exceeded all expectations and will soon be rolled-out to other markets (China). And: the e-tron meteorite has a 2nd life! It will be reconstructed at the nearby Audi brand experience centre and host an exhibition on sustainable mobility.