The Big Game Audi’s Feminist Super Bowl Ad Is a Father-Daughter Tale About Equal Pay Automaker is out to #DriveProgressBy Tim Nudd|February 1, 2017Share By Tim Nudd|February 1, 2017Share Audi aired one of the best ads of 2016 in a political environment—the flashy but lighthearted “Duel” spot played on the nights of all three presidential debates last year. Now, for the Super Bowl, the automaker is getting political in a more pointed way, by supporting a progressive cause—pay equality—and promoting it with a father-daughter story from Venables Bell & Partners. The 60-second commercial, “Daughter,” which pushes the Audi 2018 S5 Sportback vehicle at the end, will air during the third quarter of Sunday’s Super Bowl on Fox. This is Audi’s ninth appearance on the game. See the spot here: It might seem odd for an automaker to use 60 seconds on the Super Bowl to push a progressive political cause seemingly unrelated to selling cars. But Audi says the notion of progress is at the core of its brand—and indeed, the spot uses the hashtag #DriveProgress as a way to cement that idea. “With ‘Daughter,’ Audi continues to push the envelope with compelling storytelling on a national platform. Pay equality is a big message for a big stage,” said Loren Angelo, vp of marketing at Audi of America. “As a business built on bold innovation—from LED lighting to Audi quattro—progress is at the heart of what we do. We’re a brand that’s ahead of the curve and looking toward the future, just like our next generation of buyers.” "We're a brand that's ahead of the curve and looking toward the future, just like our next generation of buyers." Loren Angelo, vp of marketing at Audi of America On the topic of pay equality, the brand says: “Audi of America is committed to supporting pay equality, inclusivity, and the growth and development of all employees. The company has publicly pledged to support ongoing commitment to women’s pay equality in the workplace and to foster a work environment that drives equality for all employees. Audi also instituted a graduate internship program where 50 percent of enrollment must be female, establishing greater equality for our future workforce.” Asked specifically whether Audi itself has equal pay among its workforce, Angelo said: “There is a lot that goes into calculating pay—individual performance, experience or tenure in the job, etc. But we are confident in our processes for evaluating pay equality and can confirm equal pay for equal work between men and women.” Fittingly, daughter was directed by a woman, Aoife McArdle, who has also handled several spots in Wieden + Kennedy’s politically minded Secret campaign—including this one that’s also about equal pay. The voiceover is by Peter Jessop, an actor whose voice is often mistaken for George Clooney’s. CREDITS Client Name: Audi Of America Agency: Venables Bell & Partners Founder, Chairman: Paul Venables Executive Creative Director: Will Mcginness Creative Director: Justin Moore Associate Creative Director: Allison Hayes Copywriter: Mike Mcguire Copywriter: Kathy Hepinstall Director Of Integrated Production: Craig Allen Senior Producer: Matt Flaker Head Of Brand Management: David Corns Group Brand Director: Chris Bergen Brand Supervisor: Justin Wang Brand Manager: Abu Ngauja Group Strategy Director: Tonia Lowe Director Of Business Affairs: Quynh-Ahn Phan Project Manager: Leah Murphy Production Company: Somesuch + Anonymous Content Director: Aoife McArdle Executive Producers: Nicky Barnes, Sally Campbell Ep / Production: Sueellen Clair Head Of Production: Kerry Haynie Producer: Grace Bodie Editing Company: Work Editorial Editor: Stewart Reeves Assistant Editor: Josh Sasson, Erik Vogt-Nilsen Executuive Producer: Marlo Baird Producer: Lynne Mannino Music Company: Human Music Composer: John Christopher Barnes Creative Director: Craig Deleon Executive Producer: Jonathan Sanford Sound Design/Final Mix: Lime Studios Sound Designer: Matt Miller Mix: Matt Miller Assistant Mixer: Peter Lapinski Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan Associate Producer: Kayla Phungglan VFX Studio: Electric Theatre Collective Creative Director: Adam Watson VFX Supervisor: Adam Watson 2D Artists: Adam Watson, Tommy Smith, Dave Damant, Jessenia Nauta CG Lead: Corinne Deorsay CG Artists: Corinne Deorsay, Nate Lapinski, Remi Dessinges, Steve Beck EP: Kate Hitchings VFX Producer: Catherine Yi Color Correction: Company 3 Colorist: Stefan Sonnenfeld Senior Producer: Katie Andrews Adweek Adweek