Mercedes-Benz Starts Marketing Campaign On Sustainability

Muamer Hodzic October 30, 2007

With the introduction of BLUETEC diesel technology to Europe, Mercedes-Benz launches an international advertising campaign on the theme of sustainability. The first printed advertisements using the new brand design will feature the E 300 BLUETEC to be launched in Germany in December 2007. Four different print ads will be placed in all large-circulation magazines in Germany, running in parallel with a TV commercial and an online campaign. The sustainability campaign will then be extended in mid-2008 to include additional vehicles and developments related to Mercedes-Benz’ activities which are combined under the heading ‘TrueBlueSolutions’.

“In our marketing campaign on sustainability we promote innovative technologies for environmentally sound mobility such as the BLUETEC emission treatment system, which Mercedes-Benz offers to its customers as the world’s cleanest diesel,” says Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President Mercedes-Benz Cars, responsible for Sales and Marketing. “Regarding the mobility of the future, we at Mercedes-Benz think in a holistic manner and therefore examine the complete value chain, which means a focus on creating a sustainable foundation for all development, production, and service activities. All of these activities will be combined under the ‘TrueBlueSolutions’ heading.”

In this regard, the brand’s communication activities – such as the first series of ads for the E 300 BLUETEC – will consistently feature the color blue as a metaphor for clean air. For the E 300 BLUETEC television commercial, Mercedes-Benz utilizes a popular children’s song that contains the word blue as a type of hymn for BLUETEC technology. The sustainability campaign was developed in co-operation with Mercedes-Benz’ lead agency, Jung von Matt.

Sustainability with TrueBlueSolutions

The variety of solutions developed by Mercedes-Benz, and the message of holistic thinking as a means of ensuring environmentally sound mobility, have all been combined under the heading of ‘TrueBlueSolutions’. The color blue, which is also the color of Mercedes-Benz, serves as the link between all the major evolutionary steps (solutions) Mercedes-Benz has taken on the path toward zero-emission mobility – i.e. BLUETEC, BLUETEC HYBRID, technical advancements with gasoline engines such as CGI direct injection, the DiesOtto technology, F-Cell hydrogen cars, etc.

BLUETEC – “The world’s cleanest diesel”

The BLUETEC technology developed by Daimler effectively reduces the exhaust emissions of diesel vehicles and especially lowers nitrogen oxide emissions. Mercedes-Benz initially launched its BLUETEC passenger car offensive in the U.S. in October 2006 with the introduction of the E 320 BLUETEC, which is still the world’s only passenger car equipped with this technology. Mercedes-Benz also plans to offer three more BLUETEC models on the U.S. market in the GL-, M- and R-Class from 2008. International automotive journalists have honored this environmental commitment by naming the E 320 BLUETEC the 2007 World Green Car. The panel responsible for choosing the winner praised BLUETEC as the trailblazer of a new and especially clean diesel technology. In a letter, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has also welcomed Mercedes-Benz’ BLUETEC initiative. The E 320 BLUETEC is currently the only diesel passenger car that meets the state’s stringent emission limits.

BLUETEC has also been proving itself in commercial vehicles since the beginning of 2005 and is now available in all truck and bus series. In fact, Daimler has already delivered more than 60,000 Mercedes-Benz trucks and buses equipped with this pioneering emission-reduction technology.