MBDSC: 1997-98
In 1996, the Agency hired Communicus Advertising Research to measure the MBDSC and M-B national campaigns to:
- Determine the effective reach of the MBDSC’s campaign
- Assess the campaign’s impact
- Provide diagnostic data to identify points of increased potential advertising leverage
Communicus recommended that the Cybill Shepherd campaign continue:
- Cybill Shepherd was an excellent choice as MBDSC spokesperson. Mercedes built local equity quickly and benefitted from solid advertiser identification.
- The Cybill campaign:
- Showed incremental impact to the national M-B campaign, particularly focusing on dealer-related items
- The MBDSC’s Cybill campaign out-performed all Communicus research automotive norms, as well as M-B’s national campaign
- Campaign performance scores were even higher among the younger age group (Adults 25-45) and women, providing an entrée into the female luxury market while also providing excellent leverage among the male segment
- Cybill Shepherd built equity in terms of strong association with the M-B brand
- The campaign served to increase advertising effectiveness against those reached by M-B’s national campaign
- The Cybill Shepherd radio spots performed at much higher levels than typically found for automotive radio – due both to the extension of the campaign to radio and the use of a matching radio and TV spots.
With research results in-hand DES set-forth developing the 1997 MBDSC Business Plan:
- 1997 Business Objective
- Sell 19,361 retail vehicles
- Communication Objective: Put Mercedes-Benz on intender’s must-consider list
- Target Market Group
- Adults 35-55, 50% men/50% women
- Owners of cars <$28k
- $75K average HHI
- Strategy: Dramatize the dissonance between the actual and expected price of cars of this magnitude
- Benefit: Constant pleasure in a superb choice
- Tone and Manner: Light-hearted and somewhat irreverent
