"This site provides in-depth information and comparison tools to differentiate between vehicles. I especially like the Audi Showroom, where, in one simple interface I can easily view and navigate every model since 1998." —juror Bryan Finke
"For anyone looking to buy a pre-owned Audi, but who needs more information, this site makes it extremely easy to look for and compare models and to locate your selection." —juror Allegra Burnette
Overview: This site puts you in the driver's seat for comparison shopping of certified pre-owned Audi automobiles. The depth of information and ease of access make it simple and fun to research car models and even order a test drive.
• 158 SWF files totaling 82MB
• 3-D effects produced in Studio Max and AfterEffects
• 75 models of cars
• 3 weeks, 13 people for development; 3 people maintenance
Comments by Tony Quinn:
"Many people who'd like to own an Audi don't think they can afford one. So our job with this campaign was to show them that with a Certified Pre-Owned Audi, the car of their dreams was within their reach. We refer to our solution as 'Directed Choice,' bcause although viewers are moved from one experience to another, we never take away their option to self-direct their path.
"Aesthetically our aim was to create a simple space that dynamically changes size, shape and navigation depending on where the user is and what content is being viewed. We wanted to create a sense of place and a video-rich experience. At the same time we wanted the showroom to be fun so that it would encourage people to play with it. Sound design was also critical to this.
"Recognizing that we'd have to appeal to the emotioal side of the equation first, we created e-mails and rich-media ads designed to tease people into making a single click. That click brought the ads and e-mail to life with 3-D animation that flowed seamlessly into one of four large Flash commercials on the microsite. When the commercial ends, the screen turns into the 'Dream Showroom' where viewers can learn about every Audi made since 1998.
"Definitely the most technically challenging aspect of the site, the Dream Showroom allows users to navigate through an interactive grid of Audi models. On clicking, video footage from every model is launched politely in the background and users can compare cars by year, price point or model and bookmark favorites for later viewing. Ultimately, the viewer is presented with a test drive offer. Our end goal was to get test drive registrations—which convert to sales at a very high rate. In this we were successful with almost 15,000 registrations from the campaign.
"This site was originally conceived as 'temporary,' however, we're deligthed to say that Audi has decided to keep it indefinitely."
