Maisie Williams stars in Audi's new 'green' spot

Maisie Williams stars in an Audi ad that represents the company's push for reduced emissions.

A few weeks ago, Volkswagen bid goodbye to its iconic Beetle. The car was being discontinued in favour of what seemed like a leaner, greener version of the car. The newest legacy car brand to join the 'green' league is Audi. Its latest ad features Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams, singing along to a popular song that appears in Disney movie Frozen - Let it go. 72andSunny Amsterdam as a creative agency will be Audi’s global partner for the full campaign.

The ad sees her symbolically driving through a crowded town, away from emissions, towards a cleaner, less polluted future. A CNBC report mentions that Williams’ decision to “reverse course and leave it all behind” at the polluted intersection is a “metaphor for how the decision to make more sustainable choices takes all of us doing our part,” according to Audi. According to a press release, Audi plans to "reduce global vehicle-specific CO2 emissions by 30 per cent," and also mentions that it wanted to "ensure all plants are CO2-neutral, and more" by 2025.

The release also mentions that the ad also aims to plant a firm stake in the ground about the brand's ambition to unleash the beauty of sustainable mobility. Globally, Audi plans to introduce around 30 electrified vehicles by 2025, and that is only the starting point of a reinvention that will touch many brand-relevant topics that go beyond the car itself. Audi’s big ambition: to become a CO2-neutral company on balance by 2050.

“Maisie Williams is the perfect representative of how consumers are increasingly choosing, and advocating for, transportation options that are more sustainable,” Sven Schuwirth, head of Audi’s digital business and customer experience, said in a press release, reports CNBC. Williams is most popularly known for playing the role of Arya Stark on HBO series Game of Thrones. For Audi, this is a completely different marketing strategy from the kind of advertising it has done before. Previously, the brand focused on the functionality of the car or the luxury associated with the brand.

This commercial is the first installment in a new global brand campaign from Audi aiming to recharge the “Vorsprung durch Technik” (Lead by Technology) tagline with new meaning. To strengthen and unify the brand promise, for the first time ever, the ad will also roll out across TV and social media channels in multiple markets including Germany, Italy, France, U.K., Spain, and China. Over the course of this year, several additional chapters of the global brand campaign will cover strategic topics such as electrification, connectivity, customer experience, and design. The intention is to systematically rejuvenate the brand, and in particular, build awareness and attract new audiences by emphasizing topics like sustainable mobility as new forms of luxury.

Credits:

Creative Agency: 72andSunny Amsterdam

Production Company: ANORAK

Director: François Rousselet

Editorial: Paul Hardcastle (Trim)

Post Production: MPC

Audio: 750mph

Music Supervision, Direction and Clearance: Amp.Amsterdam

Music Arrangement and Production of re-recording: The Elements Music