Mercedes-Benz Chooses Publicis For International Advertising Budget

Stuttgart. February 13, 2018; Following a one-year selection process, Mercedes-Benz has decided to cooperate with Publicis as its new international network agency. Publicis is one of the world's biggest and most renowned agency groups. As part of the digital transformation of the Mercedes-Benz brand, processes are currently being realigned in marketing communications. Alongside the local adaptation of the global and regional Mercedes-Benz campaigns in around 40 markets, the focus of the pitch was on increasing synergies for a more consistent look worldwide for the Mercedes-Benz brand on the digital platforms plus stronger dovetailing of central and local digital content. Publicis will set up the new agency "Publicis Emil" located in Berlin to align the brand and product content in the future specifically to the needs and requirements of the Mercedes-Benz brand.

The brand currently works mainly with three creative agencies for various societies. These are antoni in Germany and Europe, Merkley+Partners in the USA, and BBDO China in China. “We are delighted to have found a new promising partner in Publicis for our global agency network. Mercedes-Benz is one of the world's biggest companies that advertise, and it is - more than ever before - currently a highly attractive international budget”, explains Dr Jens Thiemer, Vice President Marketing Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars. "Our focus of cooperation with the new agency partner is above all on the worldwide digital marketing and communication measures in order to drive forward digital transformation at Mercedes-Benz. Our criteria for this are clear: best digital know-how, best systems, best creativity, best consultancy, best conditions."

Fair and transparent selection process

Selection of the new agency was made on the basis of a standardised, uniform process involving all participating regions. In order to guarantee a fair and transparent process, Daimler's internal Pitch Team was supported by The Observatory International, one of the world's leading consultancy firms in the field of marketing and communication. The agency services presented were assessed according to uniform criteria and collated to form an overall result with the aid of a predetermined weighting key. For orientation during the entire process Mercedes-Benz also used the common guidelines of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) and the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA) on conducting pitches.

BBDO Worldwide has been responsible for adapting the campaigns in around 40 markets since 2007. The contract expires on 30 June 2018. "Our huge thanks to BBDO Worldwide and in particular to Andrew Robertson and Thilo Schotte personally for eleven years of extremely successful cooperation, which has elevated international marketing at Mercedes-Benz to new heights", said Dr Jens Thiemer.