Volkswagen - "The Movement That Unites Us"

The car brand launches "Handbook Novels": a collection of fictional stories written based on keywords from the Audi Owner’s Manual.

To celebrate International Book Day, Audi has come to two indisputable conclusions: on the one hand, they have been publishing their own book, the Audi Owner’s Manual, for many years. On the other hand, and to be honest, it is a book that few people read. So, they have set themselves a challenge to the height of very few: to make you open it for the first time. And they have succeeded by turning it into a collection of stories entitled "Novelas de Manual".

Created by Ogilvy and in collaboration with the publishing house Penguin Random House, the brand aims to get its customers to read its manual for once and for all, as well as to bet one more year on literature on such an important date. In this way, users will be able to enjoy the advantages and opportunities offered by their vehicle.

The manual of a lifetime, rethought as never before  

"Understanding a manual is important: it helps you enjoy your car more and drive it more safely. But to break down the barrier that makes no one open it, we needed to approach it in a very different way. We have managed to get people to learn how to change the brake fluid or how to interpret the warning lights with stories that transport us to another century, with trips to the space or with disturbing thrillers," says Willy Gutiérrez, Copywriter at Ogilvy.

For the project, 7 brave authors have dared to take on a not easy challenge: to write stories using some of the key words in the manual. And not only that: they have also placed them on the same page, line, and position. And so, through novelasdemanual.es/novelasdemanual.es/?mode=el (depending on the vehicle model), users can jump from the stories to the manual just by clicking on these key concepts. 

In addition, some chapters are customized according to Audi model, to suit the specifics of each manual. "We know that Audi users value creativity, especially at special times of the year, but they value personalization even more and the certainty that the ideas are designed for each of them," adds Willy Gutiérrez.

To learn about cars, you don't always have to talk about cars

Except for the keywords, the authors had absolute creative freedom, which gave rise to very different and original stories that, in some cases, had nothing to do with the automotive sector:    

"Las mudanzas", written by Miqui Otero, shows us that behind such a tedious activity as a move, a delightful story can be hidden. "Noche de paz", by Carla Montero, takes us to a story based on real events set in World War II. In "El Día en que murió Alicia Sabater", by Arantza Portabales, we will discover what happened on the day of the death of its protagonist. Júlia Peró immerses us in "María, María, María" in a cab ride that hides a captivating story. Emma Lira, in "Last Night in Palmyra", mixes reality and fiction in a conflict between the Roman Empire and the East.  In "Inventario de sueños", Francesc Miralles offers us an edifying story to learn secrets about oneself. And “Cuándo dejamos de querernos” by Miguel Gane, proposes a fascinating journey to rediscover love. 

"My idea is to put myself in the reader's shoes and think, what would I like to read if I receive a communication from Audi for Book Day? In this case, I would like to think that I am not reading anything about cars and realize that I am learning about cars" explained Emma Lira, reflecting on the project's approach. "The initiative is very interesting because it means giving a new life and a new format to the manual" explained Miguel Gane. 

One more year betting on literary creativity

For the fourth consecutive time, Audi and Ogilvy join forces to carry out an action related to literature. In 2021 and 2022 they surprised us with Audi Future Books, a collection of stories that were yet to be written. In 2023, with Extraordinary Reports, they turned real Audi Customer Service cases into exciting stories. And, this year, they have shown us that, with an original approach and a brand purpose, it is possible to turn a serious and technical reading, such as the manual, into an exciting activity.   

An initiative that highlights Audi's commitment to the promotion of culture and that offers us an original and surprising way to learn more about their vehicles.