Audi R8 V12 TDI Press Release to Articles

Audi R8 V12 TDI Concept Press Release
Popular Mechanics Mag. Article
Canberra Times Article
Autospies.com Article

I was first introduced to the Audi R8 V12 TDI concept the same day Audi sent out their press release. MSN Auto wrote a story with the headline the read "World's Sexiest Diesel". It was such a good headline that I had to read it. I was amazed by the statistics that were given in the article, V12 diesel engine, 500 horse power, and still gets 24mpg? “Wow.” After having researched the articles that have since been written on the release of Audi’s new concept car it seems that the press’ response was quite similar to mine.
Audi did a fantastic job with their press release by releasing all these impressive statistics about the car. They didn’t say a whole lot about the engineering process or why they did it, but simply wowed the press with their impressive numbers, and the press responded. Audi also did a great job at using some superlatives. Words like “world’s sexiest diesel” and “world’s first diesel sports car.” Anytime you can have the first or fastest or biggest or best of anything in the world you know that there is going be a news story written on it.
Another reason why just releasing the statistics on the Audi R8 V12 TDI was such a good move for the Audi is because it doesn’t give the press a lot of room to alter your press release or to create information that may portray a message opposite of what you wanted. But by releasing only the impressive information about, not necessarily the car’s ability but rather the car’s capabilities, Audi pretty much wrote the articles themselves. Many of the article’s information was lifted directly from the press release. Audi knew what they wanted out there and that’s what they gave the press.
By doing so the result was all positive articles praising Audi for their new and unique engineering, their luxurious body style and interior, and their impressive engine, horse power and torque. I was not able to find one single article that said anything negative about the new vehicle.
The transition of Audi’s press release on the R8 V12 TDI to written articles about the vehicle is an excellent example of the power of a press release and how it should be used. The whole idea of a press release is to get publicity on your product or service, to get your message out and that is exactly what Audi did. They used demanding words to spark the journalist’s interest and proved that the release of this new vehicle was newsworthy, they released the information that they wanted to get to the public and they did so in a timely manor, just before they unveiled the R8 V12 TDI at the Detroit auto show. I don’t think they could have done a better job on executing an effective plan to accomplish their goal in releasing this vehicle.