“Scrap Girl Cars” launches on the 2nd of June, asking Kiwis to reflect on the fact that toy cars for girls are often pink “fantasy cars”, coated in stereotypical floral or glittery designs, instead of realistic dream cars they could actually drive in the future.
Visitors to the activation will be invited to use black markers to write gender positive messages on an actual Audi RS e-tron GT, Audi’s very first fully electric high performance car, turning the car from stereotypical pink to black, over a four week period.
Commenting on the unique brand experience, Audi’s marketing manager, Amy de Vries said, “Progress is part of Audi’s DNA, as is our commitment to gender equality, so it struck us that we needed to do something about the fact that, as a society, when it comes to toy cars, we are still perpetuating stereotypes. Why are girls playing with fantasy cars, often pink in colour, that don’t actually exist in real life?
“We know through our interaction with customers that women are passionate about performance cars, but there is a disconnect from a young age with unrealistic toy cars for girls. We all have the ability to influence the future, so our installation is a visual demonstration of that. We’re inviting anyone of any gender, who wants to break this stereotype to join us in turning our top of the range e-tron GT from pink to black.”
Research published in the Transportation Research Journal in 2011, which looks at the behavourial and psychological aspects of traffic and transport, studied adolescents aged from 10 – 16 and looked at gender stereotyping associated with vehicle driving. The results showed that gender stereotyping associated with vehicles and driving starts as young as age 10. This is reinforced when you look at the toy cars available for purchase for boys, compared to those targeted towards girls.
#ScrapGirlCars is one example of Audi’s global strategy around “Living Progress” and ensuring a strong emphasis on inclusion and diversity through action.
The automotive brand has a strong track record in this area, signing female rally driver Michele Mouton to the Audi quattro team in 1981, the first women to be signed by an automotive brand as the lead driver. She went on to win the Rallye Sanremo in her first year with Audi, smashing stereotypes and forging a path for women in motorsport. She later became the first president of the FIA’s Women & Motor Sport Commission in 2010 and the FIA's manager in the World Rally Championship in 2011.
The brand also recently partnered with Janelle Monáe, one of the most vibrant personalities in music, film and TV who uses her celebrity to drive social and gender equality. Monáe is also the founder of ‘Fem the Future”, an organisation empowering women to seek careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, where they are typically under represented. Monáe continues to work as a brand ambassador for Audi and further drive the “Living Progress” mantra throughout the brand partnership.
“We can’t wait for New Zealanders to also be able to participate in Audi’s global drive for progress, through this Auckland based activation,” commented de Vries.
Scrap Girls Cars is just one iteration of this strategy and we’re asking people to express their ambition for scrapping stereotypes, and promote further equality and inclusion by writing something on the pink e-tron GT at Westfield Newmarket. They will literally change our stereotypical pink car to black,” de Vries concludes.
Audi’s Scrap Girl Cars can be found at:
• Westfield Newmarket
• Shop S150 Level 1
• 2 June – 28 June
All visitors to the activation will also have the chance to go in the draw to win tickets to the Audi Ice Experience, held at the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds, near Wanaka, in August. Guests will have the opportunity at the ice experience to drive Audi’s most progressive vehicle, the Audi RS e-tron GT, the same car involved in the activation.
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For more information, or to organise an interview, please contact:
Angela Spain, Archer, angela@archercomms.co.nz Mob: 021 851 391
The Audi Group, with its brands Audi, Ducati and Lamborghini, is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the premium segment. It is present in more than 100 markets worldwide and produces at 18 locations in 13 countries. 100 percent subsidiaries of AUDI AG include Audi Sport GmbH (Neckarsulm), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy) and Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna, Italy).
In 2018, the Audi Group delivered to customers about 1.812 million automobiles of the Audi brand, 5,750 sports cars of the Lamborghini brand and 53,004 motorcycles of the Ducati brand. In the 2018 fiscal year, AUDI AG achieved total revenue of €59.2 billion and an operating profit before special items of €4.7 billion. At present, approximately 90,000 people work for the company all over the world, more than 60,000 of them in Germany. Audi focuses on sustainable products and technologies for the future of mobility.
*Under conditions defined by EU law, the Worldwide harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) lab **Whichever comes first.