BMW and AUDI have been the leading sports luxury brand in many segments of the car industry for many years. The BMW 3 series has been hailed for the best handling premium sports sedan with a range of estate, coupe and convertible versions, hence BMW’s slogan “The Ultimate Driving Machine”. The Audi A4, direct competition of the 3 series, is known for exquisite exterior and interior design hence Audi’s slogan “Truth in Engineering”. In many ways, both vehicles in this segment have different target markets. The 3 series are for those who desire performance while the A4 are for those who value sleek design and innovation. Yet somehow, has been the best vehicle in this segment according to many auto magazines. Perhaps the marketing department of BMW may have something to do with it.

I agree with Tony about BMW’s billboard being superior to Audi’s. BMW’s billboard “checkmate” accompanied with the legendary BMW M3 displays a strong statement as it was challenged by Audi. The M3 solely focuses on performance more than anything else. In a head to head battle, the A4 would be no match. Using the M3 in the ad is unfair but because BMW has a slight competitive advantage, they are able to use the word “checkmate”. This not only catches peoples’ attention, but it also signifies the strength of the brand.

Links: Advertising War Between Audi & BMW. Tony Liu’s Blog

Multimedia: Advertising War Between Audi & BMW.