This Dark Audi Ad Uses Clowns to Advertise Safety Tech
Here’s some nightmare fuel to brighten your Monday.
Audi is touting its modern safety technology as “clown proof” in the creepiest possible way. The 90-second ad below shows us several clowns, all of whom are terrible drivers, driving silly vehicles. These clowns come close to getting into accidents with new Audis (never the Audi’s fault, of course) but accidents are prevented thanks to the German brand’s safety technology. The ad is to the tune of a dark, melancholy cover of "Send in the Clowns" by Faultline featuring Lisa Hannigan. This weird song was originally performed by Judy Collins in 1975.
So, why on Earth is Audi using clowns to advertise safety tech? You know how every driver thinks they’re a better driver than everyone else? This ad plays to that mindset: The idea is that everyone driving on the road (except you, the intelligent Audi driver) is a clown and isn’t paying attention. Audi intends to protect you from these clowns with technology like cross traffic rear assist, Pro Sense autonomous emergency braking, blind spot detection, and adaptive cruise control.
“You never know what you might encounter when you are out driving,” says the description of the video on the Audi UK YouTube channel. “For Audi, this isn’t an issue—anticipating the kind of unexpected situations you may find yourself in, through no fault of your own. The clever and intuitive technology in an Audi is on constant look-out, to help keep you safe on the road.”
Does this ad make you want to buy an Audi or does it just creep you out?
