Audi Launches Bespoke Master Classes for Customers

Audi Australia Pty Ltd has launched a series of exclusive master classes, designed to bring the German luxury carmaker’s brand Ambassadors closer to its customers through bespoke experiences.

The Audi Master Class concept is a premium brand experience that offers invited guests the opportunity to meet and interact with a handful of exceptional Australians who work closely with the Audi brand, through its Ambassador program.

The national series, along with other key activities that Audi is involved with as part of it’s new sponsorship strategy, will give the premium carmaker an important edge on its journey towards being the number 1 premium brand in Australia, not only through sales but also through customer service and loyalty. Invitations to these experiences will come from the national Audi dealer network, directly to customers.

The program kicks off in Melbourne with a master class with Shannon Bennett of Vue de monde. The focus of the Shannon Bennett Master Class is truffles, a sought-after and expensive luxury food product – about which Bennett is extremely passionate and knowledgeable.

Up to 14 guests will spend a day in the life of Bennett with a visit, by Audi limousine, to one of the country’s most-prolific, yet boutique truffle farm and wineries, Chestnut Hill, learning the finer points of growing and then harvesting the sought-after fungus. The group then visits Victoria’s once-stately Burnham Beeches Estate which Bennett has purchased and will completely redevelop into an organic vegetable garden, bakery and accommodation. It is here that Bennett and his team have planted their own 500-tree trufferie, along with wild herbs and vegetables for the restaurants.

Guests finish their day with a three course interactive truffle lunch at the spectacular Vue de monde restaurant on the 55th floor of Melbourne’s Rialto Tower.

Audi’s managing director, Uwe Hagen, says the concept behind these master classes is simply to delight Audi customers as part of their premium brand experience.

“Audi is a luxury brand and we believe it’s our major point of difference to offer such extraordinary opportunities to our customers to be able to share in the life of our brand Ambassadors,” Mr Hagen said.
“We want to delight our customers. We want to be able to bring the philosophy and the passion of our Ambassadors to our owners through these master class experiences. Shannon is the perfect example.

Not only is he recognised as one of Australia’s top chefs, he is a highly successful businessman with an impressive future vision of where his business will grow to and he is so passionate about food that he invests time and energy into learning everything possible about how to grow and source the very best ingredients.”

Chef‘s master classes will be held with ARIA’s Matt Moran in Sydney and Brisbane, as well as Kylie Kwong of Billy Kwong in Surry Hills. Shannon Bennett will host master classes in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

Design afficionados will have the opportunity to interact with Collette Dinnigan at an exclusive styling master class in Sydney, while theatre-goers will join Richard Roxburgh and Cate Blanchett at a special rehearsal dinner for the cast and crew of Uncle Vanya at Sydney Theatre Company before the production travels to New York.

Those customers who are keen on sailing will have the opportunity to learn the ropes from Audi’s sailing ambassadors, Mat Belcher and Malcolm Page, both of whom are multiple World Champion sailors and will represent the nation in London in July/August 2012. Page is also an Olympic silver medallist from Beijing in 2008. Audi’s sailing master classes will be held in QLD during Audi Hamilton Island Race Week and also in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

The Audi Master Class series kicks off in July 2012. Each of these exclusive experiences involve limousine transfers by Audi and the opportunity to gain a very personal insight into the professions of the brand’s highly-regarded Ambassadors, and what makes them successful.

You simply need to be an Audi owner to take part.