Audi Q8 Drive Experience
A Byron Bay drive program that launched the all new Audi Q8 through coastal luxury surf culture and a chef led lunch.
Venue
Various locations
Location
Byron Bay
The Brief
Audi wanted a press and customer launch for the all new Q8, their largest luxury SUV to date, built as a lifestyle engagement piece rather than a traditional reveal. The job was to design a one day program in the Byron Bay region that showcased the Audi lifestyle in a genuinely luxe setting, anchored by a great drive experience. The deeper need was to let guests feel the Q8 in context – relaxed, premium, and considered without overproducing the experience.
We Imagined It
We built the concept as a day away from modern city life: a reset in coastal luxury, with curated moments that felt effortless. The locations did the heavy lifting – Halcyon House in Cabarita and the modernist icon Amelika House – giving the program a strong sense of place and design credibility. To bring Audi’s world to life, we shaped the day around ambassadors with real cultural pull: Stephanie Gilmore, Hayden Cox, and chef Shannon Bennett. We added depth with a visit to Palisa Anderson’s Boon Luck Farm, connecting the culinary experience to where the produce was grown.
We Designed It
The day unfolded as a drive-led journey through the winding, tropical roads of the Byron hinterland. Guests arrived at Halcyon House Cabarita Beach for breakfast and an introduction with Stephanie Gilmore, before a private surf lesson with Steph and Hayden Cox. From there, the drive continued to Boon Luck Farm for a tour with a botanist, then on to Amelika House, where Shannon Bennett hosted an intimate lunch for 20. The program closed back at Halcyon House for flight departures via the Gold Coast.
We Made It Happen
We were on site for more than a week to deliver the program properly. The crew operated across three drive highlight locations and the airport, managing every moving part of the guest experience. Vehicle logistics were central – transfers, the drive program, detailing – supported by custom rash shirts for the surf lesson, Audi-branded beach towels, and menu curation with Shannon Bennett’s team. The standard was simple: seamless, with no detail left to chance, without letting the day feel controlled.
What the Day Felt Like
The Q8s were experienced in a luxury lifestyle environment that felt relaxed, not staged – a day away from the everyday. Activities were curated and intentionally not over the top, giving guests space to enjoy the drive and the settings. It brought the Audi lifestyle to life in a way that felt real, more than just aspirational
