The Campaign

This interactive digital video is no ordinary example of data storytelling. In fact, it uses data in a unique way. We found a way to extract our data live during direct interaction with our target market. The new Audi R8 is the fastest production supercar Audi has ever created. Rather than simply showing the car performing at speed, we conveyed the performance capabilities of the car by devising a way of turning ordinary human blinks into a personal unit of velocity. By doing that, we were able to create an interactive race experience that allowed our audience to feel what the speed of the R8 might actually feel like if they were behind the wheel. What’s more, by measuring how often each individual blinked, we provided the sort of personalised data that performance car enthusiasts would truly appreciate.

Creative Execution

First we consulted with experts at the Journal of Neurophysiology to find out how far the R8 would travel in one human blink. The answer was a staggering 37 metres. Even though the average viewer blinked only 8 times in a minute, in that time they would miss a remarkable 130 metres. Armed with this insight, we filmed the Audi R8 travelling down an airport runway. Later, as viewers watched that footage online, we tracked and counted their blinks using their computer webcam, and relayed that physiological data back to them at the end of the experience. Calculating each viewer’s unique ‘blink count’, we converted the speed of the car into a context unique to each viewer, and easier for them to understand experientially. The actual distance that each viewer would have missed, based on their individual blink count, was revealed to them at the end, giving them plenty of incentive to get behind the wheel of an Audi R8 and experience it for real. Not only were we able to create a unique experience based on the viewer’s individual blink count, we managed to convey the speed of the car from an interesting new angle. What’s more, our results attest to the effectiveness of our approach. While the online experience was only a minute long, on average viewers spent more than 8 minutes absorbed in the experience. Furthermore, the campaign cost was covered in less than a week, with a 390% return on investment in the first month.