• Automotive News, Monday, November 15, 2010 10:46 AM

Jason Stein and Diana T. Kurylko talk with Audi of America president Johan de Nysschen and marketing boss Scott Keogh about their plans to increase U.S. awareness of the brand nearly 24 years to the week since it was decimated by a "60 Minutes" report on unintended acceleration.

"I will not be happy," says De Nysschen, a straight-talking South African, "until we are among the top three" in customer satisfaction. But they face another problem in that they're not as well known as their main competitors, BMW and Mercedes.

"They have a very attractive product, but they do need to increase their brand awareness and their dealerships and the dealership experience," says Rebecca Lindland, director of strategic review at IHS Automotive in Boston.

Stein and Kurylko provide details on Audi's four-faceted plan for growth: 1. Product expansion; 2. Dealer bonuses; 3. Retail makeover; 4. More marketing (the budget will increase up to 20% next year on top of already record spending).

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