Audi has announced that it will increase its North American marketing budget to $40 million in 2008 — an estimated increase of $30 million over 2007. The marketing budget doesn’t include other expenses such as digital promotions, so the final figure will actually be quite larger. For example, when all marketing expenses were calculated for 2006, the grand total was $47.3 million.
“Our budgets will grow because Audi is growing,” Johan de Nysschen, Audi’s U.S. chief, told Automotive News. “The marketing spend represents a good spike.”
The increase in spending is due to the release of several new Audi vehicles, including the all-new A4, R8 and S5. De Nysschen also said that he expects spending to increase in 2009 for the debut of the Q5 and for diesel and hybrid versions of the company’s Q7 crossover.
The increase in marketing spending reflects Audi’s goal to top 200,000 sales in the U.S. by 2018. In 2006, Audi sold 90,116 vehicles in the U.S.
11/19, 11:35 AM
posted by:
Veda
With their new designs they could actually win some points with the American buyers.
11/19, 11:51 AM
posted by:
RicardoHead
They could win American buyers by making a car that last longer than 80k miles.
11/19, 1:15 PM
posted by:
Driven
Good for Audi. They have what could be some great selling products if they get the word out to average consumers. A5, S5 and R8 should do well.
11/19, 1:21 PM
posted by:
LP640
$40M? That’s pants. Audi obviously know that American isnt their man market so why should they bother??
11/19, 1:38 PM
posted by:
CA36GTP
$40M will buy them a Super Bowl commercial, that’s pennies in the marketing world.
What new marketing are they looking to fund with this increase? “Audi: We Promise We Don’t Blow Up Anymore!” or “Audi: We Promise It’ll Only Go When You Hit The Gas!”?
11/19, 1:43 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
Let’s hope they get the reliability up there as well, instead of wasting valuable money on advertisements.
11/19, 2:20 PM
posted by:
SwerveEarly
U.S is everybodys main market. And Audi needs to turn there engines 90 degrees.
11/19, 4:18 PM
posted by:
CTS DRIVER
LP640, where are you from? no i am not going to talk crap, its just that your english needs a little work and you seem not to like us very much over here so i would guess iran or venezuela.
11/19, 4:20 PM
posted by:
CTS DRIVER
1c3d0g, you can convince an american their mom was a pickle with the proper advertising, look at toyota, people think they are reliable and green, but smart people like us know the truth.
11/19, 5:20 PM
posted by:
CA36GTP
My bet is he’s English. Seems like we have a few council housing chav gutter-scum around these parts.
11/19, 5:57 PM
posted by:
LP640
iF you must Know CTS i’m from Kazahkstan ma name e Borat Sagdiyev
11/19, 6:50 PM
posted by:
Tosta Mista
They could advertise the R8 as the poor man’s Lamborghini, since it is a re-skinned Gallardo with the RS4’s 4.2 litre V8 engine (if that’s not enough for you wait for the soon the be released V10).
11/21, 1:46 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
Marketing’s a mother. ’s’got people thinking an accord is a dream car