Audi Taps 72andSunny Amsterdam to Launch Major Global Brand Campaign in 2020

Audi today announced it has selected 72andSunny to lead a global brand campaign meant to "recharge" the brand internationally. The project, launching in 2020, will be led by the network's Amsterdam office, with support from offices around the world. "We’re honored and thrilled that the first car brand we’re partnering with in Amsterdam is one of the world’s most innovative, creative and exciting," says Carlo Cavallone, executive creative director and partner at 72andSunny Amsterdam. "We’re thrilled to be working with them on their next chapter. It’s a big challenge, and we’re all up for it." Saying the campaign will be focused on "the realignment of the Four Rings," referencing Audi's logo, the brand says the work will also redefine the automaker's "Vorsprung durch Technik" (advancement through technology) slogan. "'Vorsprung' is globally becoming more and more a question of perspective, of an inner attitude,” says Sven Schuwirth, head of digital business and customer experience for Audi, in a statement about the campaign. "That’s why we’re breaking new ground also in marketing, to recharge the Audi brand emotionally. Since its inception, we have been driving this project forward in an agile network with colleagues from all over the world. 72andSunny is the ideal agency for us to make these goals tangible in a major brand campaign." "Vorsprung durch Technik" was identified as a potential slogan in 1982 by BBH co-founder John Hegarty while he was touring one of the company's factories. However, the brand struggled to secure all the legal rights to use it as a trademark until conclusively winning a seven-year legal battle in 2010. The Four Rings logo dates back to 1932, when four separate automakers— Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer—combined to form what is now Audi. Aimed at enhancing both Audi's brand image and brand awareness, the campaign will focus on reinvigorating the perception of Audi as a contemporary luxury automotive brand. In the U.S., Audi's marketing has been led by Venables Bell & Partners since 2016. Audi of America also recently named Endeavor Global Marketing—which has since rebranded as 160over90—as its experiential and sponsorship agency of record. It's unclear if Audi has had a global creative agency of record before selecting 72andSunny for this brand campaign. For now, 72andSunny Amsterdam has not disclosed the duration of its assignment with Audi or whether it might extend beyond the 2020 brand campaign. "Our agreement pertains to the global brand campaign starting in the first quarter of 2020," the agency told Adweek in a statement. "We will release further details to the extent and content of the campaign at a later time." UPDATE: Audi has confirmed to Adweek that 72andSunny won a competitive pitch for the brand campaign assignment, though the brand declined to reveal the names of other agencies who participated in the pitch. "The pitch presentation of 72andSunny was very convincing," Audi wrote in a statement about the agency's win. "Besides excellent creative expertise, 72andSunny demonstrated deep understanding of Audi’s future ambitions. The agency presented a progressive marketing strategy and outlined inspiring ideas and surprising concepts in order to achieve our upcoming and ambitious marketing communication objectives." According to Audi, 72andSunny has only been awarded the 2020 global brand campaign and "no further decisions have been made on other cooperations beyond that." The brand says it continues to work with several other agencies around the world.