Automobile manufacturers have always used brand ambassadors as marketing assets and, as far as we know, they consist of celebrities who are the best in their fields. Film personalities like Hugh Jackman and Naomi Watts are examples of the sort of people you'd have to be in order to be chosen as Audi brand ambassadors. Local radio host, Yasminne Cheng, is Audi Singapore's latest addition to its star studded pool of ambassadors.
Likewise, the recent record setting Audi Driving Experience 2015 recruited 24 brand ambassadors from a pool of professional drivers as spokespersons for the event. What exactly was required of an Audi brand ambassador? I went undercover as one, to experience the perks and pains of being a brand ambassador for one of the most exciting automotive events of the year.
Day 1
2:00pm
Audi Singapore Office
During the first half of the briefing, the brand ambassadors were briefed on how to chaperone the event participants and co-piloting either the new Audi A6 or A7 Sportback. The brand ambassadors were taught to demonstrate Audi's latest features such as its distinctive design, Matrix LED head lights, engine, transmission, park assist, e-mail reader, MMI navigation plus with MMI touch and the Virtual Personal Assistant (VPA).
3:00pm
The second half of the two hour long lesson also armed us ambassadors with Audi’s brand history, philosophy and slogan Vorsprung durch Technik, which meant 'Advancement through Technology.' We were then briefed on the route which we would be accompanying the event participants on.
The well-planned out route was aimed at being long enough for the participants to understand the car, but also short enough to leave them wanting more.
4:00pm
Audi Singapore Office Car Park
In order to allow the brand ambassadors to get a feel of the features in the A6 and A7 Sportback, we were brought to the cars and allowed to familiarise ourselves with them.
The training was provided by the staff from Premium Automobiles and Audi Singapore. Needless to say, we were quite impressed with the cars that we would be handling.
2:00pm
Audi Singapore Office
During the first half of the briefing, the brand ambassadors were briefed on how to chaperone the event participants and co-piloting either the new Audi A6 or A7 Sportback. The brand ambassadors were taught to demonstrate Audi's latest features such as its distinctive design, Matrix LED head lights, engine, transmission, park assist, e-mail reader, MMI navigation plus with MMI touch and the Virtual Personal Assistant (VPA).
3:00pm
The second half of the two hour long lesson also armed us ambassadors with Audi’s brand history, philosophy and slogan Vorsprung durch Technik, which meant 'Advancement through Technology.' We were then briefed on the route which we would be accompanying the event participants on.
The well-planned out route was aimed at being long enough for the participants to understand the car, but also short enough to leave them wanting more.
4:00pm
Audi Singapore Office Car Park
In order to allow the brand ambassadors to get a feel of the features in the A6 and A7 Sportback, we were brought to the cars and allowed to familiarise ourselves with them.
The training was provided by the staff from Premium Automobiles and Audi Singapore. Needless to say, we were quite impressed with the cars that we would be handling.
Day 2 (dry run)
6:30am
Audi Centre Singapore
The Audi Driving Experience had three waves of participants each day, for ten days. The first batch of participants would kick off their day at 7:00am thus translating to us ambassadors having to be at the Audi Centre Singapore at 6:30am to report, collect the cars and conduct a start-day checklist. Once we got into our cars, it was the beginning of a fun filled albeit draining day.
7:00am
Premium Leasing - 9 Leng Kee Road
Our 'participants' for this dry run were Audi and Premium Automobiles staff.
The morning at 9 Leng Kee kicked off with a briefing by Audi Singapore's managing director Jeff Mannering. Once the pre-departure mandatories were done, the convoy moved off towards Changi Exhibition Centre.
9:00am
Fort Road Carpark
The Fort Road Carpark was the halfway mark of the route to Changi Exhibition Centre. It is here that the participants can switch from being driver to passenger or vice versa as they wish. Once the switch is done and the new driver is comfortable, the journey continues. Participants are also introduced to the various features and functions that the A6 and A7 had.
9:30am
Changi Exhibition Centre
Upon reaching the Changi Exhibition Centre, participants alight for their days' activities whilst the brand ambassadors report for a vehicle check.
After a break and some refreshments, we had to drive the cars back to 9 Leng Kee to prepare for the second wave of contestants, whose itinerary would begin at 10:30am.
10:00am
Premium Leasing - 9 Leng Kee Road
The process of picking up our second wave of participants was the same as the one performed at 7:00am except this time around, we needed to pick up the first wave of participants once they were done from Changi Exhibition Centre back to 9 Leng Kee, after dropping off the second wave in Changi. This process was repeated until the third wave was done at around 9:00pm.
9:00pm
Shell/Caltex Alexandra
Once the day was done, the brand ambassadors had to refuel the cars and get them washed. In order to avoid jamming up with petrol station with 24 cars, we were split into two groups to wash at either Shell or Caltex.
This experience has shed light on how tiring it can be, despite most people thinking that it involves purely sitting down comfortably in air conditioning and piloting one of the most advanced cars of our time.
6:30am
Audi Centre Singapore
The Audi Driving Experience had three waves of participants each day, for ten days. The first batch of participants would kick off their day at 7:00am thus translating to us ambassadors having to be at the Audi Centre Singapore at 6:30am to report, collect the cars and conduct a start-day checklist. Once we got into our cars, it was the beginning of a fun filled albeit draining day.
7:00am
Premium Leasing - 9 Leng Kee Road
Our 'participants' for this dry run were Audi and Premium Automobiles staff.
The morning at 9 Leng Kee kicked off with a briefing by Audi Singapore's managing director Jeff Mannering. Once the pre-departure mandatories were done, the convoy moved off towards Changi Exhibition Centre.
9:00am
Fort Road Carpark
The Fort Road Carpark was the halfway mark of the route to Changi Exhibition Centre. It is here that the participants can switch from being driver to passenger or vice versa as they wish. Once the switch is done and the new driver is comfortable, the journey continues. Participants are also introduced to the various features and functions that the A6 and A7 had.
9:30am
Changi Exhibition Centre
Upon reaching the Changi Exhibition Centre, participants alight for their days' activities whilst the brand ambassadors report for a vehicle check.
After a break and some refreshments, we had to drive the cars back to 9 Leng Kee to prepare for the second wave of contestants, whose itinerary would begin at 10:30am.
10:00am
Premium Leasing - 9 Leng Kee Road
The process of picking up our second wave of participants was the same as the one performed at 7:00am except this time around, we needed to pick up the first wave of participants once they were done from Changi Exhibition Centre back to 9 Leng Kee, after dropping off the second wave in Changi. This process was repeated until the third wave was done at around 9:00pm.
9:00pm
Shell/Caltex Alexandra
Once the day was done, the brand ambassadors had to refuel the cars and get them washed. In order to avoid jamming up with petrol station with 24 cars, we were split into two groups to wash at either Shell or Caltex.
This experience has shed light on how tiring it can be, despite most people thinking that it involves purely sitting down comfortably in air conditioning and piloting one of the most advanced cars of our time.
