BMW outmanoeuvres Audi
April 17, 2009 by Anthony Crawford
A BMW dealer in Santa Monica, California appears to have had the last laugh, at least for the moment, when Audi USA placed a massive outdoor billboard opposite the rival dealership, which said simply “Your move, BMW”
What they didn’t count on was a great idea from local ad agency Juggernaut Advertising, who convinced Santa Monica BMW to take up a billboard directly opposite, with an image of that delicious M3 and the word “Checkmate.”
If that isn’t a brilliant piece of advertising, then please bury me in a Morris Minor.
What is most interesting though, is Audi Corporation USA appears to have been outplayed by a local BMW dealer, ouch!
But this, not so friendly German rivalry between these two very successful prestige carmakers, has been on and off for a while now.
The last stoush was back in 2006, when BMW’s ad read “Congratulations to Audi for winning South African Car of the Year 2006 … from the winner of the World Car of the Year 2006”.
Audi fired back with a congratulatory line themselves “From the winner of six consecutive LeMans 24 Hour Races 2000-2006”. Hard to argue with a result like that, I suspect.
Even Subaru got in on the act and with an ad congratulating both Audi and BMW on winning the “beauty contests … from the winner of the 2006 International Engine of the Year”.
It’s all good healthy competition, which can only benefit the new car buyers of these brands.
We suppose Audi could always hit back with another poster playing on their dominance in sports car racing, and I guess it would look something like this…
But seriously, would you take an M3 or an RS4?
Print it: 
I suppose it would have fallen a bit flat if BMW had made the mistake of putting an X6 on the billboard.
Your move, Bavarian Missile (.)(.)
That is hilarious. Nice one.
Oh, and I’d take an M3. But only because there is no new RS4, I’d have to drive that first.
M3 no doubt
M3 no questions asked.
In the words of Clarkosn, “only cocks drive RS4’s”
Alex Says:
April 17th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
“Oh, and I’d take an M3. But only because there is no new RS4, I’d have to drive that first.”
Considering the premiums charged by Audi these days I wonder what the new RS4 will cost? It should be a great car though.
Nice knockout by BMW in the advert.
I’ll wait for the next generation RS4, then I’ll make my judgement.
hahaha yeah Captain ………Audi would have had to match it with their hideous Q7…………
In relation to “From the winner of six consecutive LeMans 24 Hour Races 2000-2006” dig at BMW they could reply with a response re the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. Since 1970 when it started BMW has had 114 class victories, BMW is by far the most successful carmaker in the history of the event.
I guess from that they could say
” 6 wins,pfttt try 144 class victories Audi”
or just wait till they win another F1 championship for their reply ;)
You have to ask what Id take between the two ?…..hahahaha seeing I have that M3 poster on my office wall what do you think?
Ur right Neo Utopia we should reserve judgement till the RS4 is released.
someone did a photoshop with Audi’s reply Chess? no thanks id rather be driving
BM (.)(.), agreed the Q7 is no aesthetic masterpiece but compared to the X6 it is an automotive butterfly whereas the X6 is a warthog.
I don’t carry a banner for either marque but I do know visual pollution when I see it.
Hilarious.
But you know what, I would take the RS4. Don’t get me wrong, I know the M3 is the better car, but I don’t have any…passion for it. The RS4 though, well quite simply I love that car. And I definitely think the new one will be utterly brilliant.
Great ads, credit where its due to both Audi and BMW (and maybe Subaru, that was also relatively clever). If they did that here, I suspect that a lawsuit would follow (mainly because I get the impression that BMW and Audi Aus are stingy for not offering alot of great cars offered overseas..eg M5 Wagon, Q7 V12 TDI -apparently its coming but NZ has already got it…).
If I’m honest, I’d take neither of the RS4 or M3. I’d like to wait for the new-gen RS4, and whether BMW will do an M3 Wagon (I like practicality…). If they don’t, then I’d have the RS4 thanks…
O, yeah the car news website Jalopnik had a comp for who could come up with the best comeback to the BMW ‘checkmate’.
Some included: ‘We would never hire Chris Bangle’
‘We play on the scoreboard, not chessboard’
and
‘We’re playing Connect 4′
Take a look, some are quite clever:
http://jalopnik.com/5213704/bm.....ue&s=x
Captain I guess we are just going to have to agree to disagree on the X6……….your loving sis xoxox
Re the choices between the M3 RS4 and C63…….the later are the alternatives to the M3,either of them have been able to match the M3 equally on using the same normally aspirated cubes or been able to use a chassis good enough to match it without going AWD………I think that says how good the M really is ;)
AHAHAHAHAHA Brilliant. So good I wanna buy both.
Love the M3 but being an Audiphile it would have to be the RS4 which has a better sound track to go with it.
M3 please – carbon black, with manual transmission.
Cmon guys, you left off the response from Bentley. See it here…
http://www.everybodysucksbutus.....s-bentley/
Audi is currently eating into BMW’s market share over in the States, so I’m guessing they are happy to let BMW win the billboard battle…
LOL, Awesome!
This is gold.
I’ll have both.
Space Grey manual M3 Sedan
Mugello Blue RS4 Wagon (to carry the surfboards)!!!
Oh and a white 997 GT3 with black wheels.
That’ll do!
JJ
I think anything depicting the R8 will shut BMW up, they havent got anything in their lineup that can match it
lol that was funny. i’d get a M3 looks better and well… isn’t it better?
HAHA, love it!
lets wait for the new RS4 :)
I’d Take the AUDI RS4, or even a standard A8. Somehow AUDI just don’t scream W@NKER like the Barvarian Motor Works… next time you’re driving, just watch how the majority of BMW drivers interact with other drivers, yet how many times has an AUDI cut you off in traffic without indicators?
hahaha French Affair,you obviously dint hear Clarksons latest view on that.
Seems if you dont drive a BMW these days you are a “C O C K ”
“how many times has an Audi driver cut me off”…….
Seeing there aren’t as many of them out there as BMW drivers not that many I guess as they are the ones always trying to RACE us BMW drivers but cant quiet get in front of me to do it ;)
Mr Intergrale (Anti-Spam: Lancia) lol
that is an absolute classic.
In reply to Audi’s “Come play, then”.
BMW: “See you at the finish line”
http://wallpapers-box.uv.ro/ca.....la-1/4.jpg
Both companies make great cars but the M3 would be the car that I would like to take home.In terms of normally aspirated engines the BMW is superior to Audi.
Audi would be lost without turbos and most if not all their racing victories have been with turbos or oil-burners with turbos.
Everyone says how great the Audi RS4 sounds but when on the boil,it seems to sound like a “hotted up” tractor!
Hey BM(.)(.)Did you see Monday’sTop Gear? It had a special on the lineage of the M Division.
TP gear tested a CSL M3-The episode was filmed on the Isle of Man(no speed limits)the CSL M3 sounded great!
Audi’s given their response, featuring the R8 with the tagline “Time to check your luxury badge. It may have expired.”
Whatever that means, lol.
http://www.facebook.com/photo......amp;ref=mf
Yeah I saw it Fasthonda……….seemed even Clarkson enjoyed the BM for a change ;) Not much luxury in the CSLs then again your after performance not extra cup holders……
Maybe Audi or BMW should re make the movie “Used Cars” with new cars. Like a televised ad series. I wonder if a hundred dollar note of a fishing line still works? For those of you who have seen the movie, you know what i am talking about.
frenchaffair Says:
April 18th, 2009 at 10:04 am
“Somehow AUDI just don’t scream W@NKER like the Barvarian Motor Works…”
Those plebs in their FWD A4’s with sports pack are cool are they?
To Name with the Lancia anti-spam.
It’s a shame they didn’t post the Bentley ad. I’m mean, both the RS4 and M3 cars are totally gorgeous. As a 26year old on a pretty good salary, i’d love to one day be able to afford either. But sheesh, even i’m savvy enough to realise the cache that comes with driving a Bentley puts the others to shame. Bentley’s are cars for gentlemen. RS4 and M3 are for people with no imagination. At least that’s what marketing has come to teach me of the two.
Funny as, I love it.
How can you beat checkmate????
that is the biggest white rabbit full stop of all time.
And Id take the M3.
It just oozes so much more style.
BMWs have soo many body lines going on and they rarely put one out of place
I’d take the BMW anyday. The problem with Audi’s is that they are related to VW’s. And VW is German for “trully awfull quality, many recall’s and eye wateringly expensive to fix”. In the past 3 years VW and Audi have been near the bottom of every German, Britsih and USA customer satisfacation reports.
Haha my code word is BMW M3
I would take an M3 over an RS4
But this is all pretty funny
@Eh179driver
You are absolutely right!
But because people confuse quality as always linked to reliability-it’s hard to get through to these VW fanboys(or girls!).
For example,the Audis are known to have top quality interiors,people become mesmerized and attribute that fact to the whole car and believe that top reliability will somehow follow!
That is why eg,the Golf GTI has won reviews not because of it’s outstanding performance,but because it has a nice dash!never mind about the problems they have had over the years,eventhough they are made in Germany.
Do they ever have to do copyright? Mentioning other car company names?
Duck this form of advertising is prevalent in the states,one brand comparing against another .Australia just doesn’t do much of it.
Moreover, how on earth is simply mentioning another product name in an ad breaching copyright?
You’d even have a hard case trying to land an infringement of trade mark case I would have thought (which offers way more protection than basic copyright).
@ eh179driver:
Haha, Volkswagens must have rubbish reliability, that probably explains why they have only sold 27 million Golfs. If they were any good they would have sold 40 million I guess. Not to mention that three of the top selling cars of all time (inc the Golf) are Volkswagens (Passat and Beetle being the other two). :P
I know they’re not perfect, but the two Golfs I have owned have been pretty much faultless. And, let’s face it, if you’re selling the volume of product that VAG sells worldwide there is likely to be a few c0ck ups in there.
Who cares about RS4…bring on the RS5!
We should BM! It would be cool!
Snap!
Whoever came up with that idea at Audi will be a bit quiet today I think. Kudos for SM BMW for fighting fire with a god-damn inferno.
And yes, I’ll have the M3 thanks very much.
Liam, you are right but then the Golf nameplate has been around for so many years, its no wonder they have sold so many. Part of the problem with VW, Audi and certainly Mercedes is that they are manufactured to be disposable cars. In Europe and parts of Asia, it is very dificult to continualy register cars after 4 or 5 years. However here and the US, we expect to buy a car and run it indefinately. However this does not excuse the appalling quality and high number of recalls these “prestige” makers have had over the past 5 years. Even VW’s chief has appologised for the Golf’s quality. Then you add that DSG gearbox that costs an earth to service. I mean really, $250 just for oil every 60′000 k’s PLUS the cost to service it!
By BM: Duck this form of advertising is prevalent in the states,one brand comparing against another .Australia just doesn’t do much of it.
Yeah…seems below the belt when companies mention other makes. Holden attempted this with their Captiva…trying to compare the diesel’s fuel economy to the Ford Territory’s. Don’t worry that the Ford is bigger and not even in the same class.
****
These two Billboards are within two blocks of our work.
Great to see Some good old fashioned Juggernaut Marketing. In all honesty I would rather have the BMW M3 as it is nice and very promising. Audi has come a long way with their development and range of various parts and options, but I have the BMW heart so I can’t lean towards the dark side yet.
Great article, glad to see I wasn’t the only one who caught this.
-Stealth Auto Team