Audi's Stolen A3

Called the Art of the Heist, a recent Audi campaign began with a fictionalized theft of an Audi A3 at a Manhattan dealership in late March. The company went so far as to stage the theft with a broken glass door at the dealership, police tape and placement of officers standing on guard at the alleged crime scene. Immediately, postings went up around New York and other cities inquiring information about the stolen vehicle. This was all part of an elaborate campaign that tapped into the world of Virtual Reality Gaming. The campaign began its second stage where players were given the chance to put together clues found in online footage of the heist on youtube, as well as placement in traditional print and TV ads. Each clue led the participants deeper into the game, with an estimated 125,000 players that followed the complete campaign. Similar to “Street Games,” this campaign is interactive and involves individuals on a much deeper level than any other type of ad. Think, if the right combination of components were successfully intertwined, this could be the next big thing for the masses. The key is finding something that is completely captivating and engaging. Otherwise, the general public will choose to use their time more wisely.