A new ambassador has emerged to represent Audi’s SUV car, Thando Hopa, a South African lawyer and model is the new face of Audi’s SUV car. The model has been vocal about the treatment of people with albinism, using her experiences to raise awareness on albinism, which is still profoundly misunderstood. Hopa is undoubtedly the perfect face, and her involvement with Audi could bring more discussions around albinism.
The 28 year old has been a voice for albinism, with the hope of defeating the prejudice and stigma around albinism.
Hopa partnered with Audi South Africa for their Audi Q2 #Untaggable campaign, which highlights diversity of beauty standards, and embracing the art of forging your own path. Her father is Xhosa and her mother is Sotho.
Hopa began her career as a model in 2012 after being approached by designer Gert-Johan Coetzee in Johannesburg in 2012. Similar offers to model had come her way but not from a top designer like Coetzee. She’d rejected those offers so as to focus on her legal career. With encouragement from her sister to use modelling as an avenue to overcome the negativity associated with albinism, Hopa took up the offer.
Her appearance during the South African Fashion week in September 2012 opened conversations on albinism, prejudice and beauty.
Due to her albinism, Hopa has problem with her eyesight. This was part of the challenges she faced when she started modelling within two weeks of meeting Coetzee. She told Buzz South Africa, “There were steps, and since I struggle to measure depth because of my eyesight problems, I was afraid I would fall.” Her modelling career took off as she did publicity shoots and appeared in Forbes Life Africa in 2013.
Thando studied at Witswatersrand University, due to the problem of her eyesight, she was supplied with larger papers to help her with the issue. She still considers her job as a prosecutor more important than her modelling.
The questions are no doubt a representation of the questions people with albinism face daily. According to Destiny Connect, Audi Q2’s campaign aims to shed light on what motivates people like Thando to shatter clichéd conventions and create their own identity.
The head of Audi South Africa, Paul Sansom said, “Thando was the only choice as the face of the Audi Q2 #untaggable local story. She personifies the Audi Q2 approach — she refuses to be boxed, labelled or categorized. We are also inspired by her personal journey, her success in so many careers and her activism on behalf of people with albinism.”
He further noted, “Thando is impossible to categorize. She is current, edgy and upscale, but refuses to fit the mould. Her inspiring life story and unique approach make her a perfect fit for the Audi Q2, a vehicle that refuses to be labelled.”
Her collaboration with Audi
In the Audi’s YouTube video, Hopa is introduced with the all-new Audi Q2. She catwalks with gusto. Then questions on the screen appear; what if we don’t fit the #boxes? What if we don’t want to? #thandohopa #untaggable.
The questions are no doubt a representation of the questions people with albinism face daily. According to Destiny Connect, Audi Q2’s campaign aims to shed light on what motivates people like Thando to shatter clichéd conventions and create their own identity.
The head of Audi South Africa, Paul Sansom said, “Thando was the only choice as the face of the Audi Q2 #untaggable local story. She personifies the Audi Q2 approach — she refuses to be boxed, labelled or categorized. We are also inspired by her personal journey, her success in so many careers and her activism on behalf of people with albinism.”
He further noted, “Thando is impossible to categorize. She is current, edgy and upscale, but refuses to fit the mould. Her inspiring life story and unique approach make her a perfect fit for the Audi Q2, a vehicle that refuses to be labelled.”