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Mercedes-Benz Celebrates 3 Centuries of Heritage with New Ad

16 December 1999

Mercedes-Benz Celebrates Three Centuries of Heritage with New Millennium Ad

    MONTVALE, N.J., Dec. 15 -- Mercedes-Benz USA, Inc. (MBUSA) is
marking the turn into the 21st century with a celebratory turn-of-the-
millennium tune.  In the millennium advertising spot which commences on spot
television this week, MBUSA has revived the work of an extremely talented but
relatively obscure Chicago singer and songwriter, the late Steve Goodman.
Goodman's musical score "The Twentieth Century Is Almost Over," accompanies a
60-second spot entitled "Timeline," which highlights over 100 years of
innovation and heritage from the world's oldest automobile manufacturer.
    The ad was created by MBUSA's advertising agency Merkley Newman Harty in
New York City.  The genesis for the ad was the musical score itself, which
eventually prompted creative director/partner Andy Hirsch to conceptualize the
spot after hearing it.
    "About ten years ago, I heard the song.  It was so eclectic and engaging
that I filed it in the back of my head for use at some later date.  Earlier
this year, with the end of the century fast approaching, I figured it was now
or never," said Hirsch.
    According to Rich Anderman, general manager, marketing communications for
MBUSA, "When the agency presented the work to us, we thought this was the
perfect fit.  Not only does the spot showcase our rich brand heritage by
linking a timeline to our history of innovative products and unsurpassed
service, but it also highlights the fact that Mercedes is the only automaker
that can claim a heritage that touches on three centuries."
    The spot marries Goodman's lyrics with a continuous shot of a timeline,
replete with Mercedes images from the late 1800's to today.  As the camera
follows the timeline, beginning in 1886 with a picture of the world's first
passenger car -- a Benz -- to the year 2000 with a picture of the new model
year 2000 S-Class, corresponding full-motion images, running stock footage and
logos flow by.  The catchy refrain "the twentieth century is almost over,
almost over, the twentieth century is almost over, all over this world" plays
throughout.  The spot ends with the words, "See you in the '21st" over a stark
black background, before closing on the Mercedes logo.
    Media rotation includes spot buys in New York and Los Angeles during prime
time programming that includes NBC's Friends and Fox's Ally McBeal, as well as
late night and late fringe programming.  The spot has already debuted on
national cable stations such as ESPN, A&E, CNN, VH1, Bravo and the Learning
Channel.  "Timeline" will also air during football bowl games in select spot
markets such as New York and Los Angeles on December 31 and January 1 and
nationally during the CBS Sun Bowl, also on December 31.  The day after
Christmas, the spot will air on A&E's Biography channel.
    Goodman wrote the score along with fellow songwriter John Prine.  Goodman,
who died in 1984 at the age of 36 after a 10-year battle with leukemia, was
best known for composing "The City of New Orleans," the popular hit in 1972
sung by folk singer Arlo Guthrie.
    The Mercedes-Benz account team is headed by Alex Gellert, partner/group
account director, and creative work on all MBUSA ads is handled by Hirsch,
Marty Orzio, and Randy Saitta, all executive directors/partners at Merkley
Newman Harty.