Title	THE AUDI E-TRON PRE-LAUNCH TEST DRIVE WEEK
Brand	AUDI IMPORT BELGIUM
Product/Service	AUTOMOTIVE (AFTERMARKET)
Category	A01. Use of Promotional Events & Stunts
Entrant Company	EMAKINA Brussels, BELGIUM
Advertising Agency	EMAKINA Brussels, BELGIUM

Name	Company	Position
Amélie Deschamps	Emakina	Account Manager
Florence Moreau	Emakina	Project Manager
Alexandre Gilmart	Emakina	Designer
Sarah Claeys	Emakina	Copywriter
Rachel Thomas	Emakina	Copywriter

The Brief

The Belgian market is highly competitive, with a long tradition engaging with prospects, test drive campaigns challenging. Audi had to show its strength and attract interest, without a “first” or market leader position in Hybrid. Our target: Book maximum test-drives in one week with only six cars, together with the dealerships. Strategy: Find an iconic venue (the Atomium), initiating the action with the dealers and their privileged contacts and then pulling in the general public. A countdown timer urged the interested public to subscribe ASAP. Each target audience was given a ‘full VIP treatment’, with impeccable data management and follow-up.

Campaign Success

Three months before the e-tron arrived in Belgium, the cars would be in the country for just one-week of test-drives. Distributors are in a strategically important position, making the collaboration with them sensitive. There is a great difference in the experience and expected handling for VIPs, fleet managers, hot prospects, and general public participants. For each, an adapted approach with specific attention to detail was created. In close collaboration with the dealerships we created and managed the database of all contacts, respecting the dealerships' key role, making sure each target audience was treated as a VIP. Invitations and follow up were handled together using CRM tools and tailor made Selligent emailing solutions. A dashboard allowed perfect on-the-fly management and last minute booking changes. Because the Participants’ participation also brought valuable insight in the experience of driving the new car, we added a survey, with online management.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

All possible 728 test drive slots were filled, with no errors. The emailing showed excellent response rates: open rate 35%, click through 26%. 585 confirmed request dossiers for test drives, for 728 slots The private platform produced 260 test drive requests, with 10% conversion, well above expectations. 486 test drive requests were generated via the public campaign. 72% of the people who confirmed for the test drives showed up. Openings were filled in fluently with ‘extra’ candidates on the waiting list. There was not one single error or issue. Not one. Audi was extremely happy with the results, but also the dealers, Fleet clients and customers - who said as much in their post-event feedback survey. As cherry on the cake, Audi sold 13 e-tron cars in the first three days of the event.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

A premium event (for key customers, prospects) was an exclusive night out in the Atomium, with presentations, conversations, and test drives. It was the first time ever an automotive brand received such an intense access to the venue. Extra test drives were organized from the Audi Import offices (and afterwards also for no-shows and unavailable prospects). An ‘open’ website was then launched, opening up the test drive platform to the public as well. Once the dealers had delivered on their promise to their own customers the public had a chance to participate as well. Social and web advertising was combined with tailor made e-mailings to promote the event, with an online countdown field of available test drives to introduce scarcity.