• Audi returns to the Big Game by encouraging audiences to let go of the past and drive into an era of radical reinvention
• Cinematic spot features all-new Audi e-tron Sportback and sets scene for sharing brand’s path towards sustainable premium mobility
• Spot represents first installment and worldwide kick-off of global Audi brand campaign

INGOLSTADT, January 29, 2020 – Audi returns to the biggest night in American football with a musically-inspired, 60-second commercial called “Let It Go” featuring actor Maisie Williams. Williams takes the wheel of the all-new Audi e-tron Sportback to help kick off a global brand campaign about Audi’s long-term ambition to shape a new era of sustainable mobility. Created by global partner agency 72andSunny Amsterdam, the spot was directed by François Rousselet and marks the brand’s eleventh appearance at the game.

Launched during one of the world’s biggest cultural moments, the commercial follows Williams, a vocal advocate for action on climate change, as she sings her own interpretation of the hit song “Let It Go” from Disney’s “Frozen.” Oscar® and Grammy®-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez penned “Let It Go” for the Oscar®-winning animated film “Frozen.”

In the ad, Williams gets behind the wheel of her Audi e-tron Sportback and finds herself stuck at an intersection, which represents a crossroads of today’s preconceptions and old notions of consumption, success, and status. Williams chooses to reverse course and leave it all behind, breaking into the familiar lyrics of “Let It Go” as she drives towards a more sustainable future. Along the way, fellow drivers, pedestrians, and others join in, representing the brand’s efforts to usher in a new era of sustainable mobility. The journey is a metaphor for how the decision to make more sustainable choices takes all of us doing our part.

Recorded by Williams at the acclaimed Abbey Road Studios in London, the reinterpretation of “Let It Go” lends a strong storytelling element to the ad. It is a new, more defiant take on a song that took the world by storm, but still showcases that transformation always starts with letting go of something old to create something new. In this case, moving toward a more sustainable future.

“The biggest night in American football, and one of the last truly live global television events, serves as the perfect moment to share our strategic path toward sustainable premium mobility with a worldwide audience,” said Sven Schuwirth, Head of Brand Audi, Digital Business and Customer Experience. “Maisie Williams is the perfect representative of how consumers are increasingly choosing, and advocating for, transportation options that are more sustainable. As a creative innovator, she perfectly embodies millions of peoples’ desires to make the transition to an electric future.”

“Creating a sustainable, livable future for generations to come is the world’s most important challenge. I’m proud to share Audi’s vision for sustainable mobility in this global brand campaign,” said Williams.

Recharging Vorsprung durch Technik
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.

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. Many of the projects that will work to achieve these goals, such as the production plant for the Audi e-tron in Brussels, that has been certified as CO₂-neutral, are featured on audi.com/sustainability.

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.  

Within the global Audi Group, this brand campaign project is being driven in an agile network with colleagues from all over the world. 72andSunny Amsterdam as a creative agency will be Audi’s global partner for the full campaign, which will roll out throughout 2020.

- End -

ABOUT AUDI
The Audi Group, with its brands Audi, Ducati and Lamborghini, is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the premium segment. It is present in more than 100 markets worldwide and produces at 18 locations in 13 countries. 100 percent subsidiaries of AUDI AG include Audi Sport GmbH (Neckarsulm), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy) and Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna, Italy).

In 2019, the Audi Group delivered to customers about 1.846 million automobiles of the Audi brand. In the 2018 fiscal year, AUDI AG achieved total revenue of €59.2 billion and an operating profit before special items of €4.7 billion. At present, approximately 90,000 people work for the company all over the world, more than 60,000 of them in Germany. Audi focuses on sustainable products and technologies for the future of mobility.

ABOUT AUDI OF AMERICA
Audi of America, Inc. and its U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. AUDI AG is among the most successful luxury automotive brands, delivering about 1.846 million vehicles globally in 2019. In the U.S., Audi of America sold just over 224,000 vehicles in 2019. Visit audiusa.com or media.audiusa.com for more information regarding Audi vehicles and business topics.

ABOUT 72ANDSUNNY AMSTERDAM
72andSunny is a global creative agency that believes unignorable creativity is the most powerful force in business. With offices in Amsterdam, Los Angeles, New York, Singapore and Sydney, 72andSunny is on a mission to expand and diversify the creative class. 72andSunny has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies for two years in a row and is a two-time “Agency of the Year” winner for Advertising Age and Adweek. For more information, visit 72andSunny.com.

Notes to Editors

Quote from 72andSunny Amsterdam 

"Partnering with Audi at such an exciting time for their brand and for the category is exactly the type of challenge we love”, says Rey Andrade, Executive Creative Director, 72andSunny Amsterdam. “With this campaign we're looking to turn that ambition into work that takes what Audi has done so well for so long, design led and brave ideas, and put that into a fun and progressive context. At a time where people might be looking to shed outdated conventions and ideas we are trying to bring some modernity and frankly some fun. So it was obvious that we needed to turn to the world of “Frozen” and ice-cold princesses. With ‘Let It Go’ we have the iconic anthem for defiant and brave reinvention and with Maisie we have an equally tenacious and charmingly defiant performance. We're looking forward to setting a standard of ambitious and progressively minded work with our new friends.  Let the storm rage on!

Credits:
Creative Agency: 72andSunny Amsterdam
Production Company: ANORAK
Director: Francois 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