Mercedes is ramping up its digital media campaign for the CLA, intended to keep buzz burning and spark interactions with the Generation Y target. Mercedes has just announced they will be collaborating with 5 of the top Instagram photographers to add some artistic flair to its digital efforts.
Photographers were chosen based on aesthetic capabilities, followers and fan engagement. Each will be given a CLA to take on a 5 day road trip, sprinkled between July 18 and August 23. Their goal is to capture and post experiences, the photographer who generates the most buzz will win a three-year CLA lease (yippie?)
Berhard Glaser, VP of marketing at Mercedes had this to say: "Instagram has 40 million active users; it pulls you in, and it's easy and simple to use: you take a picture, choose a filter and add a caption. For younger people, it has to be quick, and that's why Instagram is such an immense and growing platform, partly because it's very simple to use, and it's where digital natives hang out."
Mercedes is attempting an organic result, Glaser had this to say about the strategy: "It's all about credibility, not pushing out marketing messages on Instagram or YouTube," he says. "[Neistat], like the consumer we are reaching, is 32 years old -- a filmmaker who sees the car and brand his own way, and that's our approach for CLA. We're not trying to push marketing messages out; we are using social media holistically and telling a story. Casey [Neistat] and the photographers are on their own."
There is a consumer element here as well. Anyone can submit their Instagram handle to www.CLAtakethewheel.com, their feed becomes their entry portfolio. The five road-trippers will choose a winner who gets to take the sixth road trip.
The five photographers are: Paul Octavious (@pauloctavious); Tim Landis (@curious2119); Michael O’Neal (@moneal); Alice Gao (@alice_gao); and Chris Ozer (@chrisozer)
Photographers were chosen based on aesthetic capabilities, followers and fan engagement. Each will be given a CLA to take on a 5 day road trip, sprinkled between July 18 and August 23. Their goal is to capture and post experiences, the photographer who generates the most buzz will win a three-year CLA lease (yippie?)
Berhard Glaser, VP of marketing at Mercedes had this to say: "Instagram has 40 million active users; it pulls you in, and it's easy and simple to use: you take a picture, choose a filter and add a caption. For younger people, it has to be quick, and that's why Instagram is such an immense and growing platform, partly because it's very simple to use, and it's where digital natives hang out."
Mercedes is attempting an organic result, Glaser had this to say about the strategy: "It's all about credibility, not pushing out marketing messages on Instagram or YouTube," he says. "[Neistat], like the consumer we are reaching, is 32 years old -- a filmmaker who sees the car and brand his own way, and that's our approach for CLA. We're not trying to push marketing messages out; we are using social media holistically and telling a story. Casey [Neistat] and the photographers are on their own."
There is a consumer element here as well. Anyone can submit their Instagram handle to www.CLAtakethewheel.com, their feed becomes their entry portfolio. The five road-trippers will choose a winner who gets to take the sixth road trip.
The five photographers are: Paul Octavious (@pauloctavious); Tim Landis (@curious2119); Michael O’Neal (@moneal); Alice Gao (@alice_gao); and Chris Ozer (@chrisozer)
Time to get instagram.
