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Audi has used a modern approach to the whole Santa ordeal from commercials director Bruce St. Clair for the past two years. Instead of the traditional white-bearded man, Hugo Woddis played a modern-looking older male in a pressed suit with grey hair.
Lewis Reeves plays his assistant, who takes him to a futuristic garage and introduces him to his "new sleigh." Hugo Woddis as Santa then inquires about his "runners," to which his assistant responds, "Welcome to the future."
And the formula for the Christmas commercial in 2022 remains largely unchanged. Except for the automobile. Audi used the Audi e-tron GT concept in 2020. Last year's video featured Santa driving a fully electric Audi RS e-tron GT.
As modern Santa Clause Hugo Woddis approached the futuristic vehicle, he inquired, "Still no runners?" before hopping behind the wheel. He is taken aback when the steering wheel folds and retracts, but his assistant reassures him that the "sleigh" requires "no driver" this year. The grandsphere employs Level 4 self-driving technology (full autonomy in limited conditions). Just as the coach doors close, the assistant says, "Welcome to the future, Mr. Claus," as he did the previous year.