Audi's number one priority is to strengthen its position as a leader in Electric Vehicles (EV) & technology. However, the automotive sector is fiercely crowded, & competition is increasing from both traditional & emerging players with the entire EV sector making claims around Innovation & Technology. "Vorsprung durch Technik" is more than a campaign line for Audi; the brand lives progress in all they do. Similarly, Sky Sports' heritage in innovation stretches 30 years, continually raising the bar for Sports coverage, underpinned by the ethos of 'believe in better'.

With these challenges in mind, Audi wanted to identify opportunities to 1) Increase perceptions of the brand as 'a leader in electric vehicles' & 'a manufacturer of cars with innovative technology'. 2) Increase the proportion of drivers who would consider Audi for their next EV

Sky Sports has been a market leader in innovation for over 30 years. Our audience insight revealed that Audi drivers were 20% more likely to watch Sky Sports than the average UK adult so we knew the alchemy was right to bring together these two progressive brands in an industry first: Audi became Sky Sports' Official Innovation Partner. Launched in 2022, the award-winning partnership brought the best of both brands' values to life, and gave Audi the opportunity to co-create innovations and provided the platform to tell a relevant brand story.

The partnership significantly increased the understanding that Audi has innovative technology; is leading in electric vehicles, and is a brand that people are willing to pay more for, for those exposed. Amongst those exposed, Sky Media's brand evaluation showed an increase in consideration for the Audi brand and an increase in desirability during the pre- and mid-wave surveys. The partnership campaign had a significant impact on perceptions of Audi as "prestigious"; making it the number one EV choice amongst those exposed.

"Audi continues to shape premium mobility through progressive technology and design. Partnering with Sky Sports as its Official Innovation Partner is a natural fit for the Audi brand as both brands are progressive in their fields. The results we have seen so far are fantastic, and we are excited to see how the partnership continues to evolve in 2023." Tony Moore, Head of Marketing, Audi UK