Developed by WE Marketing Group, the push infuses traditional Chinese wisdom from Tzu’s writings into the modern driving experience. The series of print advertisements show the SUVs in a variety of outdoor locations, with the copy using analogies of Tzu’s writings to describe attributes of the vehicles.
In one ad, the copy reads ‘Swift as the wind, smooth as the forest, aggressive as fire, solid as a mountain’.
“We’re trying to refresh the overall brand image and tap the market potential for Mercedes-Benz’ SUV range, but the number one task is to differentiate the SUVs from a range of high-end competitors,” said Josh Li, WE Marketing Group China managing director.
“While the M- and GL-classes have been very popular globally over the past 10 years, they have not been heavily promoted in China because they’re niche products.”
Targeted at businessmen aged between 35 and 40 years old, the campaign leverages the insight that many successful consumers - predominantly male - draw on Art of War as inspiration for their modern business strategies.
According to Li, the creative strategy will resonate with potential customers on an emotional level, while at the same time encouraging them to expand their car ownership to include an SUV to explore the countryside during their leisure time.
“The new campaign is an example of how emotional associations can be built around the vehicles, and how such associations capture people’s imagination,” said Li.
“One of the important findings is that there are lots of emotional motivations when it comes to driving a Mercedes-Benz SUV. Consumers do not sacrifice luxury and comfort when they seek a tough and powerful car, and they’re also looking for a kind of psychological satisfaction from owning one - it makes them feel like a strong and successful man.”
Launching this month, the national campaign is expected to run until December.
