Last month, BBH launched an ad promoting Volkswagen-owned Audi’s R8, the first ad released by the larger Volkswagen organization since its much-publicized emissions scamming scandal. Now Venables Bell & Partners have released a holiday effort promoting the Audi Quattro.
“The Forecast” opens on a forlorn grandfather, resigned to spend the holidays with just his dog due to severe weather. “Looks like it’s just you and me,” he says, flipping off the TV. He puts away the table he has set up for his family and serves himself dinner when he sees headlights in his driveway, as three Audis pull up. The grandfather’s face lights up with surprise and delight, followed by text containing the painful pun, “Weather or not, may your holiday be merry and bright.” “The Forecast” concludes with the grandfather sitting down with his family, which, VP+B reveals without drawing too much attention itself, is multiracial. (Despite this, the racists are, of course, out in full force on the YouTube comment section.) Less tactful is the granddaughter’s “Plus we have Quattro, grandpa!” when the old man asks his son how they managed to get there . Presenting the vehicles as able to heroically brave such a storm was enough of a stretch as it is, but the over-the-top line strains credulity well past the breaking point. For a brand that should be working to move past Volkswagen’s recent record of dishonesty, that’s a problem.
“The Forecast” launched nationally on Thanksgiving as part of a 54-station cable takeover between 8-8:15 P.M. which reached 36 million viewers, as well as in 29 markets during Thanksgiving Prime NFL on NBC. Audi promoted the spot through its social media channels online, as well as a paid digital boost on YouTube, Facebook and TV via Samba. There’s also an extended online version, which we’ve featured below.
Credits:
CLIENT NAME: Audi
BRAND: Season of Audi
SPOT NAME: “The Forecast”
AIR DATE: 11/26/15
AGENCY: Venables Bell & Partners
CHAIRMAN: Paul Venables
ECD: Will McGinness
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Erich Pfeifer
ART DIRECTOR: Byron Del Rosario
COPYWRITER: Meredith Karr
DIRECTOR OF INTEGRATED PRODUCTION: Craig Allen
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Mandi Holdorf
AGENCY PRODUCER: Hannah Murray
SENIOR STRATEGIST: Johnny Roelofs
HEAD OF ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT: David Corns
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Justin Pitcher
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Chris Bergen
ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR: Alexis Lovett
ACCOUNT MANAGER: McKenna Pickett
ASSISTANT ACCOUNT MANAGER: Faire Davidson
PROJECT MANAGER: Talya Fisher
MEDIA AGENCY: Mediacom
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR: Scott Accardo
MANAGER: Josh Meixner
NEGOTIATOR: Morgan Malloy
ASSISTANT NEGOTIATOR: Tom Snyder
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Smuggler
DIRECTOR: Guard Brothers
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Philippe Le Sourd
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Allison Kunzman
LINE PRODUCER: Alexandra Lisee
EDITORIAL COMPANY: Rock Paper Scissors
EDITOR: Ted Guard
EXECUTOR PRODUCER: Angela Dorian
POST PRODUCER: Leah Carnahan-Dogruer, Amanda Ornelas
VFX: The Mill
VFX LEAD: James Allen
VFX EXEC PRODUCER: Leighton Greer
VFX PRODUCER: Chris Harlowe, Pat DeVaney
COLORIST: David Ludlam, The Mill London
MUSIC: SOUTH
SOUND DESIGN: Rommel Molina, Barking Owl
MIX: Rommel Molina, Barking Owl