Audi’s Green Police Ads. Hilarious, But What About Audi?

By | January 28th, 2010 13 Comments

I have to hand it to Audi. Their upcoming “green police” advertisements (destined for the super bowl) are absolutely hilarious. This could be the first big environmental meme of 2010 – the perfect mix of “Reno 911″ style comedy and enough subtle cynicism to actually get people to think. If you haven’t seen them yet, just watch. I can’t stop laughing at this one:

The only problem, what does this have to do with Audi?

It’s safe to assume that the first barrage of “Green Police” ads will be followed by more details on various Audi models, specifically the A3 TDI (which won Green Car Journal’s car of the year), and some of the effort Audi is making to become more efficient. The company has also made some laudable efforts lately outside their vehicles themselves. Audi has made some great progress and the cleaner burning diesel the TDI uses is a great advance, but the brand still doesn’t even register on the ACEEE’s top green rankings for 2010.

The question is, are these ads meant to distract from real issues? Or is it just good clean fun on the slow road to greener driving? The trouble for Audi is they take a PR risk by putting the “Green Police” out there when their own green claims are still only about average. Will people laugh at these ads, then question Audi’s motivation and sincerity, or will Audi follow up with new developments and announcements that really back up their claims?

Either way, there’s no reason we can’t have some fun while we wait. Here are the other two ads, one of which is interactive:

13 Comments

Categorized: Greenwashing|

  • http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/ Peter Korchnak

    Another problem with “Green Police” is that “Gruene Polizei” was the nickname for Nazi Germany's police force. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordnungspolizei The ads may be hilarious and mysterious as to their connection to Audi's core business, but the historical connotation begs the subtitle, But what about the Nazis?

    Credit to Danny Brown http://dannybrown.me/2010/01/27/audi-socialmedi…

    • nickaster

      Oh man. Talk about missing something obvious. That's awful.

  • Brad Freedman

    I'm sick of this “PC Police” accusing EVERYONE of some sort of gaffe or insensitivity.

    Green Police was a NICKNAME of the Nazi police force 70 YEARS ago simply because they wore green uniforms. They probably called them FRUITY HAT POLICE too.

    Does that mean that Germans aren't allowed to use the color green until the end of time? You're like little kids guys.

    • Dave

      Well said Brad.

    • Peter Korchnak

      Ever wondered why the UPS guys don't call themselves “brown shirts”?

      • nickaster

        I think that's one Nazi joke too many…

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  • canned

    The ads are cute at best. The marketing head should be canned for not doing his homework. German companies can never be too careful. As for Brad's response, you are right it was 70 years ago, but it was also linked to the mass extermination of millions. There are people that are sensitive to these issues and basically consider it offensive and in poor taste to create a marketing campaign, by a German company that can be linked to this atrocity, whether intentional or unintentional.

  • Stopcomplainingyoupeople

    We all live in a world of whiners. Lighten up people. Audi can't be blamed for recycling a name and giving it a better meaning. Besides, the ads are all about recycling. Please don't dump other people's rights to have fun just because you don't like it. Bringing up the “Nazi” card is getting pretty old. Those Nazis used toilet paper too. Does that mean I won't use toilet paper anymore?

  • Just the facts

    Have you not noticed how controlling the “Green Police” were regarding these things? They are acting like it is a POLICE STATE in the commercial!!! HELLO! It will soon be illegal to buy good effective, non polluting incandescent bulbs which will be replaced with mercury tainted short lived over promised florescent bulbs

  • Just the facts

    Have you not noticed how controlling the “Green Police” were regarding these things? They are acting like it is a POLICE STATE in the commercial!!! HELLO! It will soon be illegal to buy good effective, non polluting incandescent bulbs which will be replaced with mercury tainted short lived over promised florescent bulbs

  • http://www.germancarenthusiast.com/sell-it/audi/sell-audi Audi A4

    Yeah I've seen better.

  • Firekeeper38

    Gag, this nasty chunky ad is still making the rounds… Ya know? You missed the correlation between Audi's Green Police ad and all the previous creepy ads from the brief Electric Car era, where car companies used bizarre, unpleasant ads to “Unsell” a great group of zippy autos that would have helped prevent the current global urgency. Not to mention a new war. Audi's hefty diesel SUV is not really *that* green and this creepy ad is shaped perfectly to target middle-aged white men and get them to jerk that knee on something. This ad will only attract people who actually hate environmental care, don’t understand the correlation between environmental abuse and illegal immigration or increased taxes, but still wanting to grab a tax break. This smells like anti-green propaganda, not sales. The target is Teabaggers. Audi and all the rest could trot electric cars off the factory rack within months, which would get over 3 times the mileage. The lack of engine vibration in battery-run autos would also prevent considerable wear and tear on the vehicle and the ensuing repair bills we have to pay.

    Personally, I have to think that fewer replacement part sales have to affect how totally auto and oil are married to each other. But paying to fix your SUV doesn't make you happy or rich. http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/07/25/paul.commentary/

  • http://www.thebathtubreview.com/freestanding-bathtubs.htm JohnnP

    The ads are funny, I dont mind them at all, way too many sensitive people out there!