We needed to circumnavigate consumers preconceived ideas of a sedan and take a completely different approach to automotive advertising, which routinely puts vehicle features at the centre of their message.

Our audience needed to experience the joys of the Audi A5 before discounting it because it was a sedan. In order to draw perception away from the surface image of a sedan, we created two sensorial experiences that incorporated on all elements of human sensation and imagination, to evoke emotion. This emotion in turn, ultimately became the lasting impression of the Audi A5.

Neuroscience data backed up our approach. Imagination and Sensation, have been proven to increase brand consideration by 47%, became the guiding light for the overall launch strategy.

The creative concept also had a synergy with the ATL creative campaign featuring the song "Pure Imagination”, by Gene Wild, from the "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" soundtrack.

Cineplex and 4DX were chosen as partners to provide consumers with a sensational brand experience, and to run the content in cinema using motion and environmental effects to fully immerse the audience. Pairing the memorable soundtrack of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory with vibrations, breeze, lighting and scents, emphasized the key attributes which made the spot unique.

Next, FourthWall was selected as a partner to target premium malls across Canada. Using Augmented Reality, consumers could unlock invisible Audi A5 cars from a display and discover multiple models realistic details and video. The best-in-class Augmented Reality provided consumers with the same precision as in reality.

Finally, digital engagement units within social media platforms were geared towards creating interest in the car itself, a Canvas format allowed for richer engagement generating excitement within the category. All engagements were retargeted to generate leads resulting in test drives for the A5.

The strategy to focus on creating a lasting impression paid off. More than 2,500 people participated in the Augmented Reality experience, generating 750 qualified leads.

A5 sales tripled in May 2017 compared to 2016. Audi hit a historical month in May 2017 with 17% more vehicles sold.

Finally, for the first time in Canada, Audi grew to the #2 luxury auto brand in Canada, marking a key milestone in its Canadian story.

Sedan reinvented campaign encouraged participation in the Audi A5 brand story by stimulating two key pillars of human connection; imagination and sensation.

Through relevant use of the latest tech, mainly Augmented Reality and 4DX cinema, a brand experience was crafted in a way that brought in elements of the real-world environment to ignite a lasting impression of the A5 beyond that of just a sedan, ultimately leading to a historic month in vehicle sales.

Keeping in mind that we are targeting a smart audience prone to automotive ads that put the car at the center, our strategy aimed to do the exact opposite.

Playing to the cliché of showcasing the latest car model in high-end malls, we built an empty display where consumers were invited to use their imagination to unlock the suite of Audi A5 cars, by using best in class Augmented Reality technology with crystal clear precision.

To provide an even deeper sensational experience, we were the first brand in Canada to tap into a new-but-rare cinema experience, 4DX - featuring specially designed seats that shift, shake and lift– in synch with the movie screen. This allowed us to fully immerse audiences with the feeling of driving an A5.

2017 saw the launch of the brand-new Audi A5 (Coupe, Cabriolet and Sportback). The media challenge was to successfully launch and generate leads at a time when the luxury sedan category is in decline (-13% vs 2013), while positioning Audi as a forward-thinking tech-focused brand.

The decline of the luxury sedan market stems from the category suffering from somewhat of an image problem, often being perceived as old fashioned by consumers.

With the Audi A5’s family of luxury sedans to promote, the creative challenge was to differentiate the new models as a different kind of sedan.