HERNDON, VA: Volkswagen’s Audi of America has issued an RFP seeking an AOR for communications. PMK-BNC is the incumbent on the account.
The automaker issued the review because its three-year contract with PMK-BNC has ended, said Bradley Stertz, corporate communications manager for Audi of America. He added that PMK-BNC, which has worked with the company since November 2007, is competing for the business.
The scope of work on the account includes supporting the company’s corporate, technology, product, and entertainment and lifestyle communications, said Stertz.
Audi of America intends on selecting a winning agency by the end of the year, he said.
In November 2011, PMK-BNC competed for and retained its work for Audi of America. At that time, the firm was tasked with focusing on strategic planning around content generation
Representatives from PMK-BNC were not immediately available for comment.
Audi parent Volkswagen is currently in trouble for avoiding US emissions regulations. Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn stepped down from his role on Wednesday after apologizing for the automaker’s reported use of technology in its diesel cars that enabled them to cheat US emissions regulations.
The number of diesel cars that include the technology and need to be recalled rose this week from 500,000 in the US to 11 million worldwide.
Audi 3 models from 2009 to 2015 were affected by the recall, in addition to VW Jetta, Beetle, and Golf from 2009 through 2015, and the Passat from 2014 to 2015.