ISL helps Audi to Strengthen their Bond with American Soccer and FC Barcelona
As a core element of their marketing and brand awareness strategy, Audi wished to strengthen their connection with soccer in the US. To help them to do so, ISL identified a unique opportunity to align Audi and FC Barcelona, in order to present the sporting performance and dynamism of the brand to a grassroots American soccer audience.
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Audi is one of Germany’s most prestigious automobile manufacturers, and one of the best-selling luxury automobile brands in the world. Its brand identity is focused on technology, strategy, and team spirit, making it a perfect partner for the sport of soccer.
The Second Generation Q7 is Audi’s flagship crossover SUV. Lighter, more efficient and more technologically advanced than the original Q7, the new line is truly luxurious and sophisticated.
As an established partner and sponsor of regional and international sport for decades, Audi had set a new objective to more closely align their brand with soccer in America. They had already made progress towards this goal in 2015 when they signed a partnership agreement with Major League Soccer, becoming the Official Automotive Partner of MLS.
In the summer of 2016, Audi wished to build off their extended sponsorship agreement with FC Barcelona to further reinforce their relationship with the club, and with American soccer. They identified the perfect opportunity to do both by integrating the launch of their Second Generation Q7 with the FC Barcelona Escola Camps.
The FCB Escola Camps are week-long events coached by FC Barcelona Technical Directors, that teach boys and girls how to live and play the Barça way.
Based on the strength of their relationship with FC Barcelona, ISL developed a unique marketing strategy to raise awareness for the Second Generation Audi Q7 line and to strengthen Audi’s position with the club, and with soccer in the US.
ISL branded a fleet of Audi Q7’s with the famous FCB Escola logo and used these vehicles as transportation for FCB coaches and staff for the duration of the summer, across 10 locations in the US. To influence brand perspective, the vehicles were then strategically placed throughout the Camp sites for photo opportunities alongside the FC Barcelona branding.
ISL executed an awareness campaign for Audi that consisted of:
- ISL expertly entwined the Audi and FCB Escola brands. By authentically placing the two alongside each other, Audi benefited from the global prominence of FC Barcelona and increased visibility of their new line.
- Audi’s goals for the Q7 launch were unique. ISL listened and then responded with a tailored plan that was both practical and efficient. This helped Audi to reach their engagement objectives.
- ISL’s strategy for Audi consisted of three core tenets:
- Increased grassroots and digital brand awareness of the new Q7 line and the Audi brand
- Positioned FCB coaches and staff as influencers, so that players and their families associated the Audi brand with success and exceptionality
- Showcased the versatility and practicality of the Audi Q7 by utilizing the branded vehicles to transport staff across the country
By showcasing the Second Generation Audi Q7 at the FC Barcelona Escolas, Audi were able to directly reach over 2,500 soccer players and their families at a grassroots level. It also provided them with access to a digital readership of approximately 14.2 million. This helped Audi’s Q7 North American car sales to grow by 102% in just three years.
With the raised awareness of Audi’s brand alongside the powerful brand of FC Barcelona, this initiative helped strengthen the alignment between both organizations, complimenting their already large partnership with the FC Barcelona first team worldwide.
ISL’s unique position enabled Audi to align their brand even closer to FC Barcelona and to target a soccer audience that they could not have reached alone. Utilizing this regional partnership, Audi strengthened its relationship with soccer in the United States and showed its commitment to raising the profile of the game in the US.
