Applause: The Benz Is Back
July 12, 2007
Everyone knows that generally, automobile advertising is super uncreative. However, a fine looking birdie just sent us a link to the new website from Mercedes Benz promoting their new C-class Sedan with the tagline, “The new C-class. Serene agility.” The site offers users a series of fun, yet easy flash games based on values incorporated within the C-class: space, energy, balance, confidence and interaction. What makes the website so special is their intellectualized and yet, intimate themes for the games. Take our favorite – space. The site asks you “how do you want to feel?” Good question. Today, we’re feeling calm. By messing around with two trigger points, we shifted the color to a warm green; the intensity of the balls fragments to a slow undulation and their shape to lava lamp like lumps. This type of interaction allowed us to project ourselves onto the brand and thus create a real connection point through the digital divide. Hard to achieve. We likey-likey. Much more so than the latest Audi microsite, which is similar in promoting interaction, but very slow to load and not nearly as compelling.
The site was built by Agency Republic ( a very fine shop) and under the eye of the married creative directing team of Gemma Butler and Gavin Gordon-Rogers. Read an interview with Gavin here.
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July 17, 2007 at 12:21 am
I first saw the C-class site and thought so what. I yawned. I played the little games. If I put my mind in the body of someone wearing pants that had pockets deep enough to allow me an opportunity to seriously consider this car would this site sell me? Nah. I got imaginary deep pockets man, I don’t care about feelings and syrupee overbranded gee-gah. I don’t care what color goes with confidence.
But then I read your article and it made me like the site that I hated. They should really include your blog entry on the splash page of the site so people can understand why they are suposed to like the site.
Anyway, then I went to agency republic and saw this: http://a-to-s.co.uk/home.php and that is the real winner. Still it all seems a bit cheap on the visual side for Mercedes, but it made sense to my imaginary deep pockets.