The German automaker Audi is one of the official sponsors of the 67th edition of the San Sebastian film show. To promote the cinematic event, as well as the brand’s spectacular cars, Audi created a short visual experience which puts the spotlight on something rather unusual: Silence, a feature that characterizes all of Audi’s new vehicles.
The campaign carried out by the Spanish agency DDB highlights Audi’s ecological activities with their e-tron car. The film ‘dubbed’ “Silence Is Once Again the Protagonist”—which comes along with the campaign—was directed by Hugo Menduina and produced by international production company Garage. It tells the sad story of a group of characters that were once famous but were thrown into oblivion.
In the two-minute-long video, the group of obsolete characters attends a therapy session held by Forgotten Characters Association (FCA), a fictional organization where each member tries to face the fact that their characters have for some reason been forgotten. An animated guy that looks like Fred from Scooby-Doo complains about the fact that he’s too flat for the film now, a mummy tries to say something through its dusty bandages, and a Roman centurion complains that the way they are treated is absolutely barbaric.
For its conclusion, the short film borrows an animated cartoon character that looks like one of Max Fleischer’s most famous creations, Betty Boop. She enters the stage with an unexpected twist: As a silent film actress, she only comes to say goodbye to the group because, you know, silence is the new black. Yes, silence is back in business once again, thanks to the new Audi e-tron’s 100% electric, silent traction.
The Audi e-tron is a vehicle that aims to redefine the concept of electromobility. It features a unique and innovative fast recharging system, enviable power, and unprecedented connectivity technology; whilst combining features that will change the way of driving forever, as silence once did for the cinema.
The cinematic experience has been created as a sponsorship piece for the San Sebastian Film Festival and is part of a campaign that also includes posters, banners, and press graphics with visuals that take inspiration from timely silent film posters. Besides these, the campaign includes short videos for social media, in which different characters present their complains and their traumas. Don’t worry, they are still all funny and casual.
Who said that silence can’t be cool?