This work is relevant for Audio and Radio because it demonstrates the significant impact that audio content and radio can have when used differently (and with respect).

With “The Iconic Playlist”, our objective was to re-establish Mercedes-Benz's connection with pop-culture through music, particularly targeting young adults.

To do this, we used an unprecedented audio-centered approach. We took over France's top music radio station, Radio Nova, and requested that they exclusively play songs mentioning Mercedes-Benz for 24 hours. Additionally, we produced 15 exclusive podcasts delving into the inspiration behind these songs and their connection to the brand.

There are many French songs that also mention the Mercedes-Benz brand (particularly from the Rap scene), which made this campaign highly relevant locally.

It is also important to note that Radio Nova is an iconic national radio station in France and is considered to be the ultimate reference of musical eclecticism for the French.

First, we created a playlist of the most iconic songs mentioning Mercedes-Benz (curated from the 16,415 tracks mentioning the brand). And we also produced 15 exclusive podcasts revealing the story behind famous songs and artists that were inspired by the brand and its cars (including Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Janis Joplin or Ella Fitzgerald).

Then, with this iconic playlist, we took control of France's most respected music radio station (Radio Nova), where our playlist simply replaced their music programming for 24 hours. And just like that, all music fans enjoyed Mercedes-Benz branded content without even realizing it, as they were simply listening to their favorite artists and a bunch of great songs.

Thanks to this radio take-over, in just 24 hours, Mercedes-Benz organically echoed 756 times live on national radio, solidifying its status as a pop culture legend without any traditional media buying or classic radio ads.

What’s behind the Hotel California, a legendary place designed by the Eagles in the heart of the 70s? Well, it’s quite a story.

You need to know the context in which this work was created to grasp its intention: one evening, like so many others, the band were in their car. They were driving through and admiring the endless streets of Los Angeles. Having only known California for a short time, they were captivated by the lights of the city and attracted to Hollywood, where possibilities seemed to open up to them.

They started writing whilst surrounded by that spirit and they manage to capture the zeitgeist. The 70s, the counterculture and the music industry, the American myth and their destiny in their own hands. They built melodies and lyrics on this intuition. When the track was released to millions of adoring fans, the lyrics opened up a whole host of questions. What are they really talking about in “Hotel California”?

The Eagles play with words, references and images. They take the liberty of composing against the commercial rules, and they fascinate precisely because their track is not obvious. You have to listen to it over and over again to understand the entire lyrics.

There’s one sentence in particular that has got a lot of people thinking. [Audio extract]

In fact, if you think you’re hearing: “Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes-Benz” you’re mistaken. What is said is that she has “the Mercedes bends”, mentioning the shape of this car. For years, the group was criticized for misspelling the name of the car and the public was missing out on yet another pun. In the end, the group justified its work.

The fact remains that once you grasp the clever reference among so many others, everything is clear and makes sense in this great painting of California. We can thank the Eagles for this rare and precious snapshot of the 70s.

The Situation

In the world of music, Mercedes-Benz reigns supreme. With 16,415 songs paying homage to the brand, it’s more than a car maker – it's a cultural icon. But despite this, many members of the new generation see it simply as another high-end carmaker.

The Brief

Establish Mercedes-Benz as a pop culture icon to maintain appeal with future markets (Gen Y, Gen Z).

The Objective

Reinforce Mercedes-Benz's position as a pop culture icon (especially among young adults) by strengthening the brand's image among its future-market audience, which demonstrated a significant affinity for music.

"The Iconic Playlist" had a direct impact on the growing success of the Mercedes-Benz brand in France, reinforcing its image and fostering positive perception among future-buyers of the brand.

A YouGov study conducted in France between Q1 and November 2023 revealed that Mercedes-Benz gained 3.5 points in positive perception among the GenZ/GenY target following the campaign.

During the radio takeover, the brand achieved its highest search volumes of the year on Google, surpassing even those during new model launches (source: Google Trends). This underscores its success in generating heightened interest and engagement with the brand.

This notable surge confirms the effectiveness this radio-hacking strategy, solidifying the brand's connection with music and captivating a younger audience who actively embraced the campaign.

As a result, we achieved 44 million organic impressions and generated over €340K in earned media value for the brand (by almost simply playing cool songs on the radio).