Carmakers have long leaned on sound to sell performance, but Audi UK’s latest campaign with BBH London flips the script. Rather than portraying its RS engines as raw power, the brand has turned them into music.
Titled “Engine Symphony,” the campaign reimagines mechanical noise as artistic expression, tapping into the end of the classical music season to position horsepower as harmony.
This article explores how Audi is using sonic creativity to reshape brand storytelling and what it signals for marketers navigating crowded premium auto spaces.
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Here is a table of content for quick access:
- Audi’s performance, reimagined as art
- Competitors also lean into music-led metaphors
- What it means for marketers
Patrecia Meliana
Audi’s performance, reimagined as art
The centerpiece of the campaign is a 50-second film that opens on sheet music before revealing a composer at work. Instead of conventional ad sound design, the creative spotlights the engines’ acoustics, reframed as symphonic notes.
The transcribed score was later displayed across out-of-home placements, reinforcing the blend of technology and artistry.
This isn’t the first time BBH London has tapped cultural cues for storytelling. The agency recently collaborated with Burger King UK and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay on a Wagyu burger launch, where humor and indulgence shaped the creative. With Audi, the shift is subtler, attempting to bridge automotive performance with cultural prestige.
Patrecia Meliana
Competitors also lean into music-led metaphors
Audi is not alone in treating vehicles as instruments. In June, BMW launched “Octowaltz,” a global campaign that centers on a waltzing octopus.
The underwater choreography serves as a metaphor for BMW’s central vehicle control unit, which integrates drive, braking, steering, and energy regeneration into a unified system.
The move mirrors a broader trend. Rather than relying solely on horsepower and torque, luxury carmakers are embracing metaphor and emotion to position innovation. Musicality becomes a signal for harmony, control, and refinement.
What it means for marketers
For B2B marketers and agency teams, Audi’s campaign offers a fresh example of reframing product features through cultural storytelling. Instead of competing on performance metrics alone, the brand positions its RS models as emotional experiences that blend engineering with artistry.
This approach helps the brand appeal to culture-minded audiences who value emotional connection just as much as mechanical precision. For marketers, the takeaway is clear. Strategic use of metaphor can turn functional features into resonant narratives, especially when executed with timing, context, and a cultural hook.
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