Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Cars, Comment, Craft, Creativity, Culture, Fulfillment, Insight, Management, Resonance, Service, Standards, Technology
So I have an Audi.
I know … I know … what a wanker.
Well as we all know, German cars are well known for their quality of engineering, but recently I saw something that showed me it’s not just engineering where they pay attention to detail.
Have a look at this …
Can you see?
It’s the colour of the screws.
Where most cars have 4 yellow screws in each corner of the rear number plate, Audi have used 2 – one black, one yellow – placed in the middle of the number plate and designed to make sure they perfectly match with the area they’re screwing into.
Black to match the colour of the letter of the registration number.
Yellow to match the background of the rear registration number.
It’s an incredibly small thing, but if they care about that, you can be sure they care about every detail in the car.
Which helps reinforce why German manufacturing is so highly revered.
Or said another way, why craft is proved by the small things, not just the big.
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Wanker.
Comment by Bazza September 22, 2020 @ 7:35 amSo says the Tesla driver. Hahaha.
Comment by Rob September 22, 2020 @ 8:09 amHe got you there Baz.
Comment by Pete September 22, 2020 @ 8:18 ammost accurate fucking comment youve ever made in your life.
Comment by andy@cynic September 22, 2020 @ 2:47 pmmost accurate fucking comment youve ever made in your life as well campbell.
Comment by andy@cynic September 22, 2020 @ 2:47 pmAre you going to make it 3 countries out of 3 for buying an Audi that you then get rid of within 2 years?
Comment by Bazza September 22, 2020 @ 7:36 amRobert buys Audi’s like he buys gadgets. Likely because he fills his Audi’s with so many gadgets it makes justifying the purchase easier for him.
Comment by George September 22, 2020 @ 7:43 amSame with houses. (Sorry Robert, I couldn’t resist)
Comment by George September 22, 2020 @ 7:44 am+1
Comment by Pete September 22, 2020 @ 8:04 ammore property than fucking trump.
Comment by andy@cynic September 22, 2020 @ 2:47 pmIt’s not because I have some moral objection to owning a car more than 2 years, it’s just how life has turned out. 3rd time lucky I get to keep the one I’m most likely going to buy for years and years. (Or until a major new tech option becomes available. Hahaha)
Comment by Rob September 22, 2020 @ 8:10 amSure Rob. Sure.
Comment by Bazza September 22, 2020 @ 10:44 amOur plates are different here so the screws don’t need such colour coding. But I do find it impressive. Like you said, if they pay attention to that they must pay attention to everything.
Comment by George September 22, 2020 @ 7:42 amThis is a much better ad for Audi than any of their actual ads.
Comment by Pete September 22, 2020 @ 8:03 amHahaha, yes it is.
From once being some of the best ads in the world – not for cars, but everything – I’ve just seen one they’ve put out with the line, “what a time to be an Audi”. Seriously, it almost makes me want to hate the brand. Proof the Audi marketing department isn’t as progressive as the engineering department. In fact they’ve literally crossed paths – one evolving and one most definitively going backwards.
Comment by Rob September 22, 2020 @ 8:14 amThat is terrible. Was that BBH?
Comment by Pete September 22, 2020 @ 8:17 amCovid has had a devastating effect on the ad industry.
Comment by George September 22, 2020 @ 8:28 amif that was bbh you have all the evidence you fucking need to know about why you should never sell to a fucking holding company.
Comment by andy@cynic September 22, 2020 @ 2:48 pmGiven that they’re probably charging you £100 for each one, I would have hoped that they could have ensured that the black one wasn’t bleeding into the yellow background. Details are indeed important.
Comment by John September 22, 2020 @ 8:18 amGerman precision isn’t what it used to be.
Comment by George September 22, 2020 @ 8:26 amIt’s still better than other nations precision.
Can you imagine if British Leyland was around?
Either one screw badly placed or 30 of them. Ha.
I remember an article where Toyota engineers in Tokyo swapped jobs with Chrysler engineers in Detroit. When they met up to discuss what they found different, the Chrysler guys talked about how everything just fitted seamlessly together, because in America it was about force and power. Or said another way, the engineering process was very similar to the cultural attitude of the nation.
Precision and craft vs power and force.
Comment by Rob September 22, 2020 @ 9:32 am30 badly placed screws – it doesn’t work.
Comment by John September 22, 2020 @ 10:29 am1 badly placed screw – it works dangerously.
30 badly placed screws sounds like the cynic table football after you “repaired” it.
Comment by George September 22, 2020 @ 11:24 amtotally agree their attention to detail isn’t talked about enough in advertising but in this case I’m pushing the brits lol as the number plates are all down to the dealership 😉
Comment by Bob September 22, 2020 @ 8:35 amAhhhhhh …
Well maybe that’s the case but my mate has a Ford and his number plate screws are all black. Not only that, they’re at the corners so they need 4, so maybe Audi dealerships have their own standards.
I can’t believe I’m writing about numberplates and screws in relation to branding. Christ, I need help, hahaha.
Comment by Rob September 22, 2020 @ 8:57 amYou drive an Audi, you’re beyond help.
Comment by John September 22, 2020 @ 9:15 amI bet Andy is glad he got rid of his Escalade.
Comment by DH September 22, 2020 @ 3:37 pmyou didnt fucking complain when you needed a fucking lift did you. parasite.
Comment by andy@cynic September 22, 2020 @ 4:49 pmAt the entrance to the Corvette production area at the Bowling Green Assembly plant, there is a sign that says “We believe in quality!” (or something similar).
And the sign is skew. That just tells you everything about the plant and its production line. The sign as you enter the part where their flagship product is manufactured, by people who LOVE Corvettes, is skew.
Comment by MJ September 22, 2020 @ 11:31 pmpeople who love corvettes are fucking skewed.
Comment by andy@cynic September 23, 2020 @ 1:14 amIn America, passion and power are more important than precision and quality. Hence Trump.
Comment by Pete September 23, 2020 @ 3:46 am