Pitch Presentation

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(No Transcript)
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Feel the car onlineMercedes-Benz A-to-S

• Jez Dutton Gavin Gordon-Rogers
• 30 November 2006

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What well coverfairly briefly!

• Overview
• The Challenge
• Product Truths and Consumer Insights
• The Strategic Approach
• The Big Idea
• Creative executions
• Results
• Learnings
• A word from Bruce Lee

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Overview

• The problem
• A proportion of potential MB customers were under
  the misapprehension that there were significant
  differences across the vehicle range with regard
  to detail, finish and innovation
• The reality
• Many industry-leading innovations or production
  techniques were present throughout the entire
  range
• The solution
• Agency Republic developed A-to-S.co.uk an
  experiential site showcasing the attention to
  detail that runs throughout the entire range of
  Mercedes-Benz passenger cars.

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The Challenge

• Mercedes needed to overturn the false beliefs of
  consumersand these were just that, beliefs
• We needed to communicate the truth in a far more
  interesting way, not simply telling them and
  hoping the message sank in
• Focussing on the vehicles could strongly polarise
  opinion

NEED TO BE INNOVATIVE IN APPROACH TO EDUCATION
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Product Truths and Consumer Insights

• Many Reasons To Believe unconnected, but
  fascinating details!
• Real exploration assists learning and encourages
  people to put the underlying message together
  themselves
• Broadband was highly prevalent amongst our target
  audience, a utility rather than a luxury (c.80
  cf. 40 av)
• With such an aspirational brand there is a need
  to go that much further

HIGH EXPECTATIONS HAD TO BE OVER DELIVERED AGAINST
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The Strategic Approach

• Allow consumers to understand the innovation,
  level of detail and refinement that goes into the
  design and construction of each and every
  Mercedes-Benz by way of an exploratory adventure
  through all the little touches

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The Big Idea

• Showcase these little touches by magnifying
  them into truly great stories in their own right

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Creative Executions
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Results Some hard facts

• Unique visitors JanOct had reached over 350k
• A quarter then went on to visit the Model Chooser
• 5000 visitors finished by selecting a test drive
  in 6 months
• 3 out of 4 visitors who started at letter A went
  on to explore all available letters a journey of
  brand discovery lasting between 15-20 minutes

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ResultsSome softer facts

• In first week of launch, became 'Site of the Day'
  on Favourite Website Awards, global home of
  leading online creative, which in some respects
  led to
• Blogs independently picking up the site, in a
  multitude of languages
• Many tens of thousands of additional bonus
  advocate visitors.
• 75 of traffic in first month to the site
  resulted from word of mouth
• Awards
• One Show Bronze Pencil - Web sites/promotional
  advertising
• Cannes Cyber Lions Silver - Websites/automotive
  products services
• IAB Creative Showcase April 2006
• Campaign Digital Awards Best Use of Automotive

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ResultsWhat this all means

• The key objective was to engage consumers and
  overturn incorrect product perceptions
• The test drive is the only place a Mercedes
  prospect spends more time with the car/brand
• 60,000 of a total 80,000 individuals in the first
  6 months were driven by word of mouth activity
• To quote a blogger
• I think I want a Mercedes now

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In Summary

• Our solution avoided telling the viewer how good
  these cars are, but let them feel each detail for
  themselves.
• We brought each proposition to life through
  interactivity emotional transference a site
  that literally lets you feel the quality of
  Mercedes engineering across the range

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What can we learn from this?

• Compelling, rewarding stories are welcomed by
  users
• Consumers have high expectation levels and low
  boredom thresholds
• Creating truly engaging properties naturally will
  drive word of mouth
• Look to ways to capitalise on this an area we
  are looking into
• Exciting big brand ideas can be delivered via
  online
• Site visitors are now more enriched by having
  been exposed to this content their potential
  reasons to buy are now both rational emotional
• With such a crowded (and homogeneous sector to
  many consumers) - its not necessary to always
  focus on the metal and in some respects, more
  interesting not to!

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Finally, as Bruce Lee once said

• We need emotional content
• Dont think...FEEL
• (Enter the Dragon, 1973)

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Any questions?
A-to-S.co.uk
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Appendix
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