Super Bowl: Opposing views on Audi

The Audi spot in the Super Bowl was one of seven ads that got an A from the Kellogg Super Bowl Ad Review. It was an emotional story on equal pay. As often with such ads it got mixed reviews; some people liked it a lot and other less.

Unlike the Kellogg ad review a Forbes article regarded this as a complete failure and a misleading message. Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook and Lean In fame was all for it and called it exactly the push needed to push back on gender stereotypes.

What could have been an empowering message is transformed into a message that young girls are victims in our society. Audi should have left the political message out and stuck to the racing.
-Forbes article: “Audi’s Misleading Super Bowl Message To Young Girls”

Sheryl Sandberg’s Facebook status from February 5th 2017

It was good, but…

In my mind the ADPLAN score of A makes sense as the ad is strong on most dimensions. My only reservation is on Net Equity as I am not sure that I have full faith in the commitment of Audi to the cause, especially when I look at the composition of the board of directors of Audi, a board with 100% male representation.

ADPLAN: A strategic framework for reviewing ads

The Board of Directors of Audi do not fully link to the message of the ad of importance of gender diversity

A Twitter user had some questions on the message of the ad.

..and Audi replied by stating that there is gender pay equality at Audi

Super Bowl: Audi's Daughter ad divides viewers - BBC News

Audi's Super Bowl Ad Sells More Despair Than Hope For Women