Audi and Coca-Cola Let Super Bowl Viewers Choose Ad Endings
Audi and Coca-Cola are handing control to the audience for their 2013 Super Bowl commercials, letting viewers vote on how each brand's story concludes.
Audi and Coca-Cola are inviting viewers to shape the outcome of their high-profile Super Bowl XLVII commercials, marking a shift towards interactive advertising for the 2013 event. Both brands are using online voting to let the public determine how their ads conclude, extending engagement beyond the traditional 30 or 60-second TV spot.
Coca-Cola's campaign features a 60-second in-game commercial, with a 30-second teaser released ahead of the Super Bowl on both the internet and cable TV. The teaser sets up a race across the desert for a giant Coke bottle, pitting three groups, showgirls on a bus, cowboys on horseback, and a crew of Mad Max-inspired rogues, against each other. Viewers are directed to CokeChase.com, where they can vote for their preferred team and set obstacles for their rivals. Voting closes at the final whistle, and the winning version of the ad is broadcast online after the game.
Audi's approach centres on the 2013 Audi S6. The brand has produced three versions of its Super Bowl commercial, all of which begin with a young man heading to prom alone in his father's S6. The car's presence gives him the confidence to park in the principal's spot and kiss the prom queen, ending with a confrontation from the prom king. The three alternate endings were released on Audi's YouTube channel at midnight on Thursday, 24 January. Viewers had 24 hours to vote for their favourite, with the most popular version airing during the game and being posted online on Saturday.
Interactive advertising gains momentum
Audi of America's general manager of brand marketing, Loren Angelo, said the brand wanted to go beyond entertaining viewers and get them actively involved via social media. This interactive approach reflects a broader trend, with other Super Bowl advertisers such as Doritos, Toyota and Pepsi also seeking consumer input, whether by inviting users to submit photos, vote on ad content, or even create ads themselves.
- Audi: Viewers choose the outcome of a prom night scenario featuring the 2013 S6.
- Coca-Cola: Audience votes on which group wins a desert race for a Coke bottle, and can sabotage rivals.
What it means for brands and viewers
By placing the outcome in viewers' hands, both Audi and Coca-Cola are aiming to deepen engagement and extend the conversation around their brands well beyond the Super Bowl broadcast. For the car industry, Audi's campaign uses the S6 as a symbol of confidence, targeting a younger, social media-savvy audience. The approach also reflects a shift in how brands measure the value of Super Bowl advertising, prioritising online interaction and extended reach over traditional TV metrics.
