As someone who talks branding frequently, I just had to share this photo of what is unquestionably one of the best advertising one-ups by a brand I’ve come across in quite a while.
There have been a few brand rivalries of note, fought on the advertising front: McDonalds vs. Burger King; Pepsi vs. Coke; PC vs. Mac; Nas vs. Jay Z.
I’ve never really thought of a rivalry between Audi and BMW as one of them (I’ve always seen the battle as between Mercedes Benz and BMW). But apparently, Audi has thrown its’ hat into the ring.
Audi’s shot over BMW’s bow, came in the form of a billboard, featuring the Audi 4 with the statement, “Your move, BMW.”
The billboard on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, was quickly followed up with BMW’s response, across the street, featuring a BMW 3 series under the sole word “Checkmate.”
Scorecard: BMW 1, Audi 0.
Well played BMW, well played.
Stephen Chukumba 