It is hitting all major forms of media in a multimillion-dollar blitz for the all-new X-Class ute after setting the stage with an innovative pre-launch program led by American punk-rocker-cum-political-activist Henry Rollins.
Guided by Melbourne-based creative strategy agency, The Royals, the Australian arm of the German prestige automotive brand sought out Rollins who was frontman of hardcore punk band Black Flag in the 1980s.
But these days Rollins is better known as a TV personality and an activist promoting LGBTI rights, wrongful imprisonment, gun control, world hunger relief and the anti-war movement.
Mercedes says that on that basis Rollins was chosen because he represents the contradictions the company sees in its first-ever ute.
Tough character. Rugged exterior. Sensitive side. Intelligent. Emotional. That sort of thing…
Mercedes-Benz Vans Aust/NZ marketing manager Katherine Gracey said Rollins “represents that massive contradiction” and that this tied in neatly with the company’s desire to challenge stereotypes and address market research which found people were asking: ‘Why a Mercedes-Benz ute?’
“People obviously always associate (with Mercedes) from a car perspective, but don’t know our full commercial history as well. So we wanted to bridge that gap because Henry is a bit of a contradiction with his exterior and how he looks but what he advocates for is phenomenal,” Ms Gracey said.
“Also through our research we found that our audience were wanting to be spoken to in non-stereotypical ways, and we thought that was another gap and an opportunity for us as a brand to make a bit of a statement that we are actually going to talk to you about what ‘tough’ means today.
“This doesn’t necessarily mean dirt and, you know, (hardcore off-roading) and whatever – it can actually be a more emotive connection as well.
Tough Conversations with Adam Briggs
“We found through conversations that Henry had, this whole gamut of stuff that was coming through that a lot of people don’t really share often, and don’t feel comfortable in sharing on those kind of (media) platforms.
“We’re new to a very established segment and we wanted to come out with a statement, but not being brash and bold with what we were trying to do, but just cover stuff that was happening in our everyday society.”
As such, Rollins was given a relatively free hand in a Mercedes-developed campaign built around the theme ‘tough conversations’ that saw him interview a range of personalities and Aussie battlers about what it means to be tough and to challenge its definition by tackling issues such as mental illness, sexual preference, gender equality/diversity, disability and social disadvantage.
Over a two-week period, he drove an X-Class with a production crew up Australia’s east coast, from Melbourne to the Gold Coast with diversions inland to isolated and/or struggling rural and mining areas.
As well as everyday Australians, interviewees included rapper Adam Briggs, wheelchair basketballer Matt Lewis, Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore and surfing legend (and Mercedes-Benz Vans brand ambassador) Mick Fanning. The resulting footage has been used not only in podcasts and images on the X-Class microsite but also used to create a documentary that aired on Network 10 this week.
Asked about the potential for the strategy to backfire on Mercedes, which has used sensitive social issues to help promote its new vehicle, Ms Gracey said the X-Class was simply Rollins’ “means of transport to go and have these incredible conversations”.
“In the documentary creation, on the road, the vehicle was the means to get Henry to these conversations and places,” she said.
“We, as a brand, are very much conscious of that and the vehicle is not front and centre.
“He’s not sitting in the car saying, ‘Hey, it does this’ or ‘Check out…’ That was never the plan.”
Ms Gracey rated the pre-launch campaign as a huge success, with social media activity reaching more than 600,000 people over a two-week period and the podcasts from the Rollins interviews attracting almost 19,000 downloads by the end of episode two.
Tough Conversations with Aussie Farmers
The company has now moved to the launch phase of the campaign – moving from ‘tough conversations’ and ‘the evolution of tough’ to the tagline ‘first of a new kind’. This phase was developed in Germany for global consumption but involved Australia, as a key market for X-Class, from the outset.
The advertising blitz will be impossible to avoid, with Mercedes using billboards, TV, cinema, radio and various other media to get its message across.
Although the company is targeting various buyer groups – including farmers, tradies and families – the global mass-media broadcast material has a more typical ‘Hollywood blockbuster’ feel that simply targets a 35-54-year-old male audience.
Mercedes-Benz Vans Aust/NZ managing director Diane Tarr declined to specify the overall marketing budget, but confirmed that it was the biggest in the LCV division’s history.
“We certainly know the power of this product and of this segment,” she said.
“We have certainly put a budget behind a strong launch, a strong introduction into the market, using all the traditional channels and some un-traditional channels to really create a statement and a position for us in a very competitive market.”
By Terry Martin
Tough Conversations with Mick Fanning
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