German automaker Mercedes-Benz has strong ties with Formula One and it is banking on the popularity of the sport's drivers for its new TV ad. The said television commercial will feature Vodafone McLaren Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso as well as former McLaren driver and world champion Mika Hakkinen.
In the Mercedes-Benz TV ad, Hamilton and Alonso will reveal that they have racing in their blood. The concept of the commercial is to show that the two Formula One drivers consider each other as friendly rivals. In the commercial, the two drivers not only races through the circuit but also rivals each other in other activities and in other places such as at a hotel reception desk, at a gym, and even in a sauna.
The TV ad will run for sixty minutes and it will be aired starting next Saturday which will coincide with the qualifying session for the upcoming European Grand Prix which will be held at the NÃ?rburgring in Nurburg, Germany. The said commercial will be aired on the most popular public and private TV channels in Germany, Spain, where Alonso hails from, and the United Kingdom, where Hamilton resides.
The commercial will demonstrate that auto racing is not only based on the fighting spirit of the drivers but also incorporates playfulness and fun. These are the messages that Mercedes-Benz is hoping to get across to viewers of the commercial.
The choice of Hamilton and Alonso for the commercial is an obvious one since both are sponsored by Mercedes-Benz and would even have been tapped to market Mercedes-Benz products such as although that would seem out of place.
"Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton have a passion for auto racing," said Norbert Haug, the head of Mercedes-Benz Motor Sports. "Both of them are ambitious, focused, and competitive. They cultivate a healthy sense of rivalry and appreciate and respect each other very much."
These attributes, according to Haug, is evident in the shooting and the outcome of the commercial. "Of course this is obvious on the race track, and it was evident while we were shooting the new TV commercial, too. In spite of the time pressure and their lack of familiarity with the TV medium, they really enjoyed the shoot."
Former McLaren driver and two-time champion Mika Hakkinen also joined the two current stars of the sport. "Mika Hakkinen, who has won the Formula 1 championship twice, has been in commercials before, and he's as cool and appealing as ever this time around," said Haug of the appearance of the Finn in the commercial.
A sneak preview of the commercial will be aired at the Mercedes-Benz Internet TV at www.mercedes-benz.tv on the 20th of this month. The said commercial will then be aired at the site on its full length after that.
"The idea for this commercial originated in our brand philosophy," said Dr. Olaf Gottgens, the Vice President for Brand Communications Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars. "After all, motor sports are deeply rooted in the history of Mercedes-Benz, and today they're still an essential element of our brand's fascination. Motor sports embody the passion that characterizes Mercedes-Benz." The German automaker has been the engine supplier of the McLaren Formula One team since 1995 and this partnership has led to success in the sport.
The commercial is said to have a twist at the endings since Hamilton and Alonso will be outdoing each other most of the time. That is where Hakkinen comes in. At the end of the commercial, Hakkinen will outdo both Alonso and Hamilton in their contest in a sauna.
