Mercedes-Benz is realigning its marketing communications
New agency model for Mercedes-Benz: Tailor-made creative solutions for Mercedes-Benz
By introducing a new agency model and a new creative agency, which is being set up exclusively to meet the requirements of Mercedes-Benz cars, the company is providing a new creative impetus to more effectively support the brand’s strategy for growth.
Mercedes-Benz’s global agency model is also changing and will, in future, focus on three ‘creative hubs’ in Europe, the USA and China. As well as an ongoing process of improvement on the creative side, the new strategy also aims to ensure that marketing campaigns are more consistently implemented at an international level.
To ensure consistent, innovative and high-quality marketing communication in all areas and using all the tools available, the company has decided to work in Europe with a new creative agency that is being set up exclusively for Mercedes-Benz. At the same time, this will allow the company to adequately meet the global challenges of digital media. This decision was taken after screening agencies in Europe.
“When deciding on a location within the creative market in Europe, it became clear to us that we could only achieve our ambitious goals by finding an individual solution that was tailored to the brand,” says Dr Jens Thiemer, Head of Marketing Communications for Mercedes-Benz Cars.
“We have managed to recruit two of the most creative minds in the international advertising industry and they will help us to create an agency solution specifically tailored to Mercedes-Benz.”
André Kemper and Dr Tonio Kröger, the two advertising gurus, will work closely with Mercedes-Benz over the next few months to establish a pool of creative talent in Berlin. The company will continue its successful collaboration with its existing creative partner Jung von Matt until summer 2015.
In addition to the changes in Europe, it is planned that the BBDO agency will take charge of the creative hub in China, while the agency Merkley & Partner will continue to take the creative lead in the USA.
In future, to ensure even greater uniformity than before, the global adaptation of the campaigns developed in the three regions will be managed by the international BBDO network.
Top advertising professionals with automotive experience
André Kemper, 51, started his career as a trainee copywriter at BBDO in Düsseldorf in 1984. In 1985, he moved to Ogilvy & Mather before joining Springer & Jacoby in 1989, where he was promoted to Creative Director in 1992. In 2003, he returned to BBDO as Managing Partner.
In 2004, he and Michael Trautmann founded the agency kempertrautmann, which was rebranded thjnk in 2012. His most recent post there was as a member of the supervisory board. In April 2014, he established the creative entity ANDRÉ with the communications and marketing services holding company Commarco.
Business graduate Dr Tonio Kröger, 48, served on the management board of Springer & Jacoby for several years. As head of the prestigious ‘fourth unit’, he was responsible for Mercedes-Benz. In early 1998, he moved from the agency side to the client side to work for what was then DaimlerChrysler AG.
As Head of Marketing Communications for DaimlerChrysler in Germany, he was responsible for the Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler/Jeep®, smart and Maybach brands. Dr Kröger has been CEO and Chairman of the DDB Group Germany since May 2003.
Tobias Müller-
