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72andSunny Amsterdam picks up Audi’s ‘Vorsprung’ baton

‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ means advancement through technology – and it’s served Audi pretty well since BBH founder John Hegarty came across it touring an Audi factory in 1982.

That, of course, was the era of such things – BMW had ‘the ultimate driving machine’ from WCRS – and the world (or those bits of it that could afford it or who had a company car) eagerly flocked to German technology in preference to their mostly unreliable home-grown machines. Remember British Leyland?

But now VW-owned Audi has picked 72andSunny Amsterdam to breathe more emotion into its venerable slogan in a new worldwide campaign.

“Vorsprung is globally becoming more and more a question of perspective, of an inner attitude,” says Sven Schuwirth, Audi head of digital business and customer experience, somewhat gnomically.

The car giants are all into emotion these days – for years BMW has tried to infuse buyers with ‘joy,’ not wholly successfully – maybe fearing that they’re all mostly the same under the bonnet.

Audi is currently pitching its UK account with BBH and Engine (formerly WCRS) competing in what’s said to be a cost-cutting review. Audi owner VW has been hammered by massive fines over its misuse of diesel emissions data and is spending billions on electric cars. It’s not known if the 72andSunny appointment will affect the UK account. Venables Bell seems set to continue in some guise in the US.

But it’s a big win for Amsterdam’s 72andSunny, owned by MDC Partners, which has hoovered up a range of projects from the world’s biggest companies recently. This is a tough one though.

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