Audi has recently produced a social media effort in connection with its third consecutive Super Bowl that will focus on the benefits of clean diesel technology and highlight the company’s A3 TDI model and is simultaneously stirring a little controversy.

The A3 TDI went on sale six weeks ago according to Andrew Lipman, spokesman for Audi. The campaign objective has set out to educate consumers about the impact of their everyday actions on the environment.

As one of Germany’s oldest-established automobile manufacturers, the company has produced a series of videos for its Green Police YouTube channel, as well as a Twitter page. The group of faux police officers demonstrate the protection of the environment in both the television and social media stages of the campaign.

Part of the campaign will see members of the media drive TDI model cars from Audi headquarters in Herndon, VA to Miami where the Super Bowl will take place on February 7, 2010.

Participants will be “encouraged to document their trip through their social media pages,” said Lipman. Uploading videos, photographs and engaging in dialogue about their experiences with the new model.

The controversy comes to light after a quick Google search that shows a historical reference to Nazi Germany’s Green Police, a nickname the Ordnungspolizei or Order Police were given in reference to their green uniforms, which identifies some battalions as being directly involved in the Holocaust.

The debate has raged for days whether the entire campaign is a PR nightmare or an incident blown way out of proportion - as the Ministry of Environmental Protection in the area of enforcement and deterrence in Israel is itself called the Green Police.

Audi’s own chief of communications officer for Audi of America, Jeffrey Kuhlman offered a response to the criticism which defended its research that not one person drew any other distinction other than environmental.

“It does what a super-expensive Super Bowl ad should do: be funny and promote a product (in this case, clean diesel technology and the A3 TDI). It’s not the best ad we’ve ever seen, but really it’s not worth getting our eco-washed undies in a bundle about, either,” said Sebastian Blanco, autobloggreen.

What do you think about the criticism Audi has received about this social media campaign? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think.