Tag: Automotive brand

San’tAgata Bolognese – Luxury and supercar brand Lamborghini joins the podcast world with their latest release, ‘Beyond: A Lamborghini Podcast’.

Starting on July 11, the podcast aims to offer listeners a deep dive into Lamborghini’s main base of operations and the expert team behind its vehicles. Hosted by Tim Bravo, Lamborghini’s director of communications and Giulia Salvi, Virgin Radio Italy broadcaster, the podcast hopes to challenge the norms of brand interaction to cover subjects such as music, art, design, science, fashion and more.

The first episode of the podcast featured Lamborghini chairman and CEO Stephan Winkelmann who reflects on Lamborghini’s success and the ‘Direzione Cor Tauri’ plan for the rest of the decade, as well as to explore some of his personal achievements. 

“You have a huge responsibility, because we are small, the investments are high, so you cannot afford to make any mistakes. Now we have to ferryboat the company in this transition phase, which is really a revolution, from internal combustion engine cars to plug-in and then maybe, with all the opportunities and challenges, to full electric cars. So being part of this is something which puts a lot of pressure and responsibility,” said Winkelmann.

‘Beyond: A Lamborghini Podcast’ is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and via the special podcast hub on Lamborghini.com/podcast. A new episode will drop each month.

Singapore — The Singaporean arm of automobile manufacturer Audi has unveiled that their premium mobility concept, Audi on demand, has announced its latest initiative – AOD advantage. This new initiative is Audi on demand’s solution to monthly car bookings and offers exclusive savings advantages when cars are rented for longer periods of time.

With AOD advantage, customers can choose their preferred Audi models for periods longer than one month, accompanied by greater convenience and significant cost savings. AOD advantage keeps salient features from the Audi on demand concepts, namely the seamless online interface and complimentary concierge services – and adds to this with affordable, long-term car bookings.

On the Audi on demand website, customers can access the AOD advantage section and select a car, rental dates, as well as delivery and retrieval locations according to preference. AOD advantage rates come inclusive of insurance, regular servicing and maintenance, as well as 24-hour roadside assistance. Longer-term rentals also feature periodic checks on car mileage, with complimentary car pick-ups and replacements as and when servicing is required.

Markus Schuster, managing director of Audi Singapore, said, “Since its launch in 2018, Audi on demand has been well received in Singapore, offering the latest Audi models for our fans and customers here to experience our cars on their own terms. We are excited for the launch of AOD advantage, which will provide our customers with more flexibility and options to immerse themselves in the Audi experience of premium mobility.”

The longer rental periods offered by AOD advantage allow customers to test a variety of Audi vehicles across an extended period of time as the previous offer only lasted 28 days. The exclusive Audi service also allows additional authorised drivers to participate in the promotion as long as the driver is over the age of 23, has a valid Singapore driving license and has at least two years of driving experience.

Those who have an interest in Audi’s new AOD advantage initiative can schedule a booking or learn more about it at Audi Singapore’s website (sg.audiondemand.com.sg/Vehicle/AODAdvantage).

Last February, Audi Singapore also announced the appointment of Jasmine Toh as public relations manager.

Singapore – The Singaporean arm of automobile manufacturer Audi has announced the appointment of Jasmine Toh as its new public relations manager. Toh, who brings with her close to eight years of experience in the automotive and luxury spaces, will be in charge of managing Audi’s overall public relations and media engagement activities in Singapore. 

Toh holds extensive expertise and experience in the industry as she previously held key roles at Aston Martin Singapore. Her experience spanned almost 6 years in the company and held several positions namely marketing executive, senior marketing executive, assistant marketing manager, and marketing manager. Most recently, she held the position of marketing manager for Aston Martin, where she developed marketing strategies to sustain and expand brand awareness, conceptualised and executed new product launches, and managed press relations prior to joining Audi Singapore. 

Toh also held the position of marketing communications executive in Cortina Watch, a watch distributor and luxury brand based in Singapore, handling multiple key events for the company. She spearheaded events for several high-value clients namely Tudor, Piaget, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Bell and Ross, and Patek Philippe. 

Audi said in a press statement that they believe that with her experience and a strong understanding of local cultural nuances, Toh will be a valuable addition to support the company’s growth in Singapore.

Sydney, Australia – John Pappas, formerly the chief marketing officer at Toyota Australia, has been appointed as the new chief executive at Lexus Australia, Toyota’s luxury vehicle division. He brings in to the company 25 years of automotive experience, including in a variety of senior international, national and regional roles.

Speaking about his appointment, Pappas said, “I am really excited to build on the strong momentum for Lexus, supported by stunning new models including our first all-electric vehicle, UX 300e, the upcoming all-new NX range and the next-generation flagship LX SUV.”

He has completed assignments in national sales, regional operations, parts supply and logistics, before spending two years at the group’s Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore.

During his stint at Toyota Australia over the past five years, he has applied his industry insights, business acumen and strategic thinking to leadership of the sales and then the marketing divisions.

He will be succeeding Scott Thompson, who joins mobility services brand KINTO in Europe as vice president operations for business development and technology.

Toyota Motor Corporation Australia President and CEO Matthew Callachor said Thompson’s four years at the helm of Lexus Australia had been characterised by an unrelenting focus on the total ownership experience.

“Scott’s passion for Lexus to have a deep understanding of the needs and lifestyles of our customers has resulted in the introduction of our top-tier owner-benefits program, Lexus Encore Platinum,” Callachor said.

Singapore – Global luxury car brand Porsche has just released its latest film that both celebrates the brand’s 20 years of existence in the Asia-Pacific market, and a tribute to those that keep on chasing their dreams towards reality.

Directed by Singaporean filmmaker Roslee Yusof, the story follows the journey of two childhood friends pursuing their passions that are at odds with typical notions of ‘success’. Along the way, the protagonists face pressure from convention, fear of failure and personal challenges – but in the end, rise above and achieve fulfilment on their own terms. 

Said film echoes the words from founder Perry Porscho, who states that ‘In the beginning, I looked around and could not find quite the car I dreamed of, so I decided to build it myself’, hence the brand goes by the tagline of ‘Driven by Dreams’. Furthermore, the company translates this ‘chasing dreams’ theme in a regional context. 

Speaking about the campaign, Yannick Ott, marketing director at Porsche Asia Pacific, said that the film celebrates the dreams that drive all of us, the spirit of staying true to oneself, while venturing forward in a world where expectations of gender, culture and success can pull one in many different directions.

“We have seen exceptional growth in this part of the world; inspired by the creative force of a youthful population and their personal aspirations, we expect that this region will enjoy one of the most exciting prospects for the years ahead. Against this backdrop, want to reinforce the message that the future is in the hands of those who follow their dreams,” Ott stated.

In relation to the ad release, Porsche also announced last week a long-term partnership with non-profit organization United Women Singapore (UWS), supporting their Girls2Pioneers program. Said program reaches out to girls from underserved communities, aged 10-16, to encourage them to pursue their passions in higher education and careers, thus paving the way for a more gender-equal society.

Singapore – Marking it as one of the global automotive brand’s biggest production for Singapore, Audi has recently launched the online premiere of their latest car model, the Audi e-tron GT, which puts a spotlight on Singapore’s well-known sights and lines such as the Gardens by the Bay and The Interlace building complex.

The premiere, made by creative agency BBDO Singapore and produced by film production house electriclimefilms, was directed by local director Juffrie Friday, and displayed some of the great feats of architecture around the country, as the team was given a rare opportunity to unleash the performance of the car as well as its beauty and futuristic design. The film demonstrated Audi’s vision for the future and marks a new era of electric mobility.

The film result is a combination of a 60-second campaign film alongside an on-stage experience, featuring local and international guests, including the experts who were part of the car’s development.

Audi e-tron GT is the brand’s flagship electric model, and it embodies the progressive attitude and demonstrates a new level of performance and driving experience that endears fans of the brand.

For Rudi Venter, head of marketing at Audi Singapore, their latest car model is their ‘brand shaper’, adding that it is important that they go beyond presenting the product to Singapore, and that this car is a crucial building block of their ambitions for the future, where they will play a leading role in shaping the transformation as current society heads into a new age of mobility.

“We want every aspect of the online premiere to be a reflection of our brand, both as a leading global premium car brand and as a proud and active stakeholder in Singapore. We believe that the concept and execution of this project set even higher expectations from consumers as they look forward to even more exciting developments from the Audi brand,” Venter said.

Meanwhile, Guan Hin Tay, chief creative officer at BBDO Singapore, commented that their latest work with Audi Singapore coincides with the fact that they felt ecstatic when they won the creative mandate for the automotive brand this year.

“To help launch Audi’s first fully electric sports car: The Audi e-tron GT is something BBDO is extremely privileged and excited about as it allows us to showcase how we were able to find a balance between using global content and creating local content that will appeal to our potential customers. All the footage was shot and edited to evoke excitement and local storytellers were selected to complement the unique features of the electric vehicle,” Tay added.

Lastly, Dora Claire David, senior producer at electriclimefilms, commented, “It was beyond a privilege being provided the opportunity to work hand in hand with the team at Audi Singapore and BBDO Singapore. From the get-go, the message was clear – it had to visually evoke Audi’s future vision for electric mobility. Every shot was thought out carefully, and all teams were hands-on through the creative process.”

Auckland, New Zealand – Automotive brand MINI, as part of their promotion of its car features, has recently collaborated with creative agency Colenso BBDO to launch a new campaign, centered around the hazards in improper braking.

Titled ‘Danger Brakes for You’, the campaign features an array of four pictures: a hoof, a paw, a child’s foot and someone wearing roller skates, all representing potential hazards on the road that can trigger the driver to apply the brakes.

MINI aims that through this campaign, they will be able to promote their growing suite of smart features, starting with automatic emergency brake assist – a feature that senses obstacles on the road in front of the car and automatically applies the car’s braking system. 

For Victoria Abbass, retail and network marketing manager at MINI, part of the reason why they also took the ‘quirky’ turn for their campaign was to ‘humanize’; how technology is being explained, as cars nowadays are getting more advanced.

“’Danger brakes for you’ is visually disruptive and intriguing, but ultimately it’s so simple and that’s what we love about it,” Abbass said.

Meanwhile, Simon Vicars, executive creative director at Colenso BBDO, commented, “We were searching for a quick and simple way to explain complicated tech. This idea felt fast and funny, which for us are the right two ingredients for making a memorable MINI campaign.”

Photographed by New Zealand photographer Mat Baker, the campaign will roll out across social media channels, as well as in print and OOH media.

Colenso BBDO’s recent campaign with MINI follows their recent work with the New Zealand arm of non-profit organization World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Sydney, Australia – The Australian arm of automotive maker Suzuki has recently launched a new campaign that demonstrates a ‘fun’ approach to vehicles, regardless of how many wheels a vehicle has.

The campaign, rolled under its campaign series ‘For Fun’s Sake’, shows a man riding a mini Suzuki car as if he is riding a motorcycle. The campaign’s narration focuses on how ‘doubling’ the wheels adds more fun to one’s journey, which embodies the message of the ‘For Fun’s Sake’ tagline.

“The least fun thing you can do is to repeat yourself, so it’s great that we have a brand platform that really lets us change things up and keep our creative fresh, because the least fun thing you can do is to repeat yourself,” said Michael Pachota, general manager at Suzuki.

The campaign, created by Deloitte Digital, the creative digital consultancy arm of consulting firm Deloitte, was launched in retrospect with Suzuki leading the Australian light vehicle segment sales, reporting a 30% increase in total vehicle sales year-on-year.

Charles Baylis, executive creative director at Deloitte Digital stated, “When it comes to having fun on the road, we realized the only thing that comes close to a Suzuki, is a motorbike. And even then, it’s only half as fun. Mathematically speaking.” 

The campaign has been rolled out across out-of-home (OOH) platforms, radio, digital ads, as well as across social media channels.