Brief:
- Mercedes-Benz Brazil is promoting its C-Class line of mid-sized sedans with a social media campaign encouraging amateur athletes to break new records in swimming, running and cycling. The carmaker's "Don't stop evolving" campaign features athletes who highlight their achievements on Strava, the sports-focused social platform that connects millions of athletes worldwide, according to an announcement shared with Mobile Marketer.
- Strava has about 4.5 million users in Brazil who can compete for the top spot of King of the Mountain (KOM) or Queen of the Mountain (QOM). Every time an athlete from the New Class-C Team breaks a record, his or her name and the team name will appear at the top of the ranking.
- KOM and QOM record holders will receive an email to notify them when their records are broken, urging them to train more to regain the top spots. F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi created the campaign for Mercedes-Benz Brazil.
Insight:
Mercedes-Benz's "Don't stop evolving" campaign on Strava aims to align with the brand's philosophy of "seeking excellence and innovation in its models," and could reach active, higher-income consumers looking for some competition. Multiple studies have shown a strong correlation between household income and personal health, as wealthier adults tend to be better educated and more able to get exercise and eat healthy.
Mercedes has been active on social media this year with a variety of campaigns. The carmaker last month promoted its A-Class sedan in the U.S. with a contest that urged Instagram users to share their bucket lists on the image-sharing app. Professional tennis player Sloane Stephens and singer-songwriter Charli XCX shared their bucket lists on Instagram, with goals like "finding the perfect slice of pizza in New York City." The company also celebrated the 130th anniversary of the first long-distance drive with a short film on IGTV, marking the first cinematic production to be featured on the standalone video platform Instagram launched in June. Both campaigns appeared to be efforts to engage younger consumers, who are not buying cars at the same rate as older generations.
Along with its social campaigns, the carmaker also plans to return to sponsoring the Super Bowl, which will be at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Feb. 3, Ad Age reported.
Strava, which uses mobile GPS data to help runners and cyclists track their training plans and reach new goals, aims to keep users engaged with free access or paid tiers that provide more advanced training plans, analysis or location-sharing. The app has 32 million members, and had charged $7.99 a month for premium services before changing its pricing model to break out those services into "summit packs" that cost $2.99 each. The company also has an opportunity to monetize its user base with sponsorships from manufacturers of running shoes, bicycles and other equipment, according to Inc.
