2010 Winners & Shortlists

Results and Effectiveness

With a minuscule budget, we developed an original and innovative way of reaching our target audience. Not only was this activity a first in the Middle-East, we’re pretty sure it’s the first of its kind in the World. This meant that the campaign gave Mercedes-Benz some priceless PR and exposure. The forecourt stunts gained considerable news coverage on national television, radio, online, newspapers and trade magazines. Finally, from a driver’s perspective it was clearly evident that we created the right impact on the forecourts. They were incredibly appreciative of the way we filled their ‘dead time’ whilst in their cars.

Creative Execution

We partnered with Emarat Petrol Stations to use this window of opportunity and create ‘live’ ads on their forecourts. When a luxury sedan pulled up to the pump to refuel, an S-400 representative dressed in Mercedes-Benz overalls would approach the front of the car. After engaging with the driver (and receiving permission to proceed), the representative would then spend no more than 60secs flicking through A3 cue cards telling the story of the new S-400 Hybrid – a combination or illuminating copy and visuals. Once the driver had been told all about the new car, this ‘live’ advertisement culminated with prompts, encouraging the driver to book a test drive and experience the Mercedes-Benz for themselves. If the driver requested additional information after the ad, the representative would answer any questions and hand-over a brochure.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

The new Mercedes-Benz S-400 HYBRID is the world’s first luxury series production car to feature a hybrid drive system with a lithium-ion battery. It uses 21% less fuel than its sister car (S-350) and has a Co2 output of just 186 grams per KM. Attributes like this make it the most ECO-friendly and ‘Green’ sedan in the luxury segment. Our challenge was to communicate these ECO-friendly credentials to an affluent audience of luxury sedan drivers (Audi A8’s, BMW 7 Series etc). These drivers share one thing in common; they all have to visit petrol stations to fill up on fuel – a big offender when it comes to all things green. With petrol attendants doing all the work and payment taken at the pump, the driver doesn’t leave the car or the forecourt at least 4/5 minutes. The idea was simple – utilize this aperture to get our message across.