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Situation
Continuing to expand in North America with a lineup of sporty luxury vehicles featuring progressive design and sophisticated technology, Audi introduced its new TDI Clean Diesel with a great American road trip in October 2008 – the Audi Mileage Marathon – an IMSA-certified competition to find the most fuel efficient combination of driver and TDI vehicle.

Audi AG and Audi of America selected Studio Creative, the live events division of EWI Worldwide, to partner with them in producing a coast-to-coast media drive of Audi A3, A4, Q5 and Q7 vehicles outfitted with TDI engines. Automotive journalists from around the world were invited to compete on one of the drive’s four legs.

Solution
Studio Creative’s logistics staff first reviewed and secured exclusive hotel properties, lunch stops, dinner venues and entertainment along the nearly 4,900 mile route from New York City to Santa Monica, California. Each location was chosen to evoke Audi’s brand image, or to provide an authentic American experience in each region of the country, while offering excellent opportunities to stage the badged vehicle fleet with quick access to the drive route.

All creative, production and logistics planning by Studio Creative was conducted in partnership with Audi AG and Audi of America staff to accommodate the needs of the vehicle technicians, the photo team, bloggers, web site developers, PR agency staff and program sponsors like Michelin and Shell who were along for the ride.

Journalists arrived in New York City on October 5th for a product presentation at their hotel, followed by dinner at the Audi Forum in Manhattan. Early the next morning, the fleet of 23 vehicles departed from the branded parking lot of Tavern on the Green, passing through start flags waved by LeMans-winning racer Emanuele Pirro and actress Molly Sims.

Over the course of the next two weeks, new journalists joined the Audi Mileage Marathon in the wave changeover cities of Chicago, Denver and Las Vegas. Studio Creative’s production team staged ceremonies to award each group’s most fuel efficient drivers and presentations to educate newcomers on the upcoming drive, contest rules and TDI technical information. Participants stayed an extra night in Monterey to meet Clint Eastwood at his Tehama Ranch restaurant, drive a parade lap at the Laguna Seca raceway and to watch Audi drivers mount a dramatic win at the Monterey Sports Car Championship.

The fleet of Mileage Marathon vehicles received a police escort to the finish line in Santa Monica on October 20. Actors Brooke Burke, Mario Lopez and Ralf Moeller were on hand to wave the checkered flags. An outdoor reception was held to celebrate the achievements of TDI, followed by dinner at the penthouse of the Huntley Hotel overlooking the Pacific coast.

Results
Over 180 journalists from 15 countries drove nearly 4,900 miles across the United States of America, traveling through 14 cities in 14 days. They demonstrated the incredible fuel economy of Audi’s TDI Clean Diesel technology, resulting in rave reviews and raising media awareness.