Background:

Bangkok International Motor Show is one of the public automotive sales exhibitions happening once or twice a year in Thailand. The event is considered one of the biggest and most important auto shows as every car brand makes its presence to reveal new cars or latest innovations to showcase the brand’s movement, to catch attention, and most importantly, to drive sales.

Mercedes-Benz is one of the forefront luxury cars, which usually participates in the event. This year, Mercedes-Benz was presented under the concept “The Reinvention of Tomorrow” while showcasing Mercedes-Benz cars with the latest technology and innovations, aesthetics, and performance, including the unveiling of the two new highlight models. Not only is the product a focus, but Mercedes-Benz has also picked up to re-invent another angle, and has continued to endorse the topic of “diversity” that the brand put the support under the campaign “She’s Mercedes” in the past.

Cultural Context:

The “Pretty” aka “Booth Babe” role is only limit for female candidates. Their role is mainly to welcome the audience to the car booths with their pretty face and body accompanying the car products. They are pretty women who got hired to present the product, in this case, the car. They became a symbol of the events that some groups of people usually enjoy coming to the auto show just to enjoy their pretty face and body.

The Pretty are not treated with respect. What happened to them after the show was brutal. While on duty, all the eyes were on them, on their bodies. Sometimes they were harassed with words, actions, sights, which they do not deserve. Some got a sexual harassment call while many of them got seduced and raped. Some got swindler offers, and others ended up dead.

Creative Idea:

The auto show sales event held once or twice yearly in Thailand. This year, Mercedes-Benz continued to be presence at the Bangkok International Motor Show. With more than 1.5 millions visitors during 12 days of the event, Mercedes-Benz hijacked the scene of the event and made a statement with a film displayed on a gigantic screen that they will be first car brand cancel the culture of "Booth Babes" or Pretty" and re-invent a new job called“Digital Guide”, a solution to stop harassment that's been happening to "Pretty" for 30 years. The digital guides are open to all genders, wear smart outfit instead of sexualized clothing and are highly knowledgable about cars with digital tools.

Strategy:

The film "Reinvention of Pretty" was shown at the Bangkok International Motor Show in Mercedes Benz booth to hijack the scene and make a statement to the whole automotive industry including regular visitors, reporters, other car brands, "Pretty" in other car brand booths, other organizations, and those who come to potentially pray on "Pretty".

The strategy is to make a bold statement to cancel the culture of "Pretty" in the heart of an event full of "pretty" and their employers. The film talks about insight, behavior, and pain points regarding being a "Pretty" to drive change and create a solution to an overlooked problem.

Execution:

The VDO content was created to be one of the highlighted contents with a purpose to hijack the scene at the Bangkok International Motor Show, displayed on the gigantic 11.5 x 5.5 inches digital screen at Mercedes-Benz booth. The purpose of the content is to endorse the brand statement which is to be the fi rst car brand to stop using ”Booth Babes” or “Pretty” to stop sexual harassment that follows and to call attention publicly among visitors at the sales event. The event starts from 23rd March – 3rd April, and the VDO content was displayed as a highlight everyday during the event, approximately 42 times.

Results:

2,102 units have been booked during the sales event, which is the highest number among luxury cars segments. The booking result rose to 12.8% from last year making Mercedes Benz #1Luxury car sales. 100% earned media and 10 million free PR values with 85 news coverage approximately 10million Thai baht. 1,578,898 Eyeballs watched in the event

20 million impressions with 30 millions engagements gained from online channel including social media. “The Reinvention of Pretty” content was shared widely among individuals, bloggers, and the topic was picked up to make a special content in the news content about diversity. #NoMorePretty became trending on Twitter and Facebook. This campaign started a movement to cancel all the “Pretty” in all brands at motor-show next year. More than 200 pretties have applied to be “Digital Guide”

Mercedes-Benz - The Reinvention of Pretty

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