Early April saw Mercedes-Benz leverage its status as a Global Sponsor of the Masters Tournament through its first event-dedicated digital channels with a mix of entertainment and utility content built around the auto brand’s golf ambassadors and promoting the launch of its new GLE Coupé.
Its tournament-specific informative, image-led and video content pieces – revolving around brand ambassadors Martin Kaymer, Bernhard Langer and Rickie Fowler – were seeded across its bespoke ‘The Masters’ Facebook, YouTube and Instagram platforms.
Whilst it has engaged via a Mercedes-Benz Golf magazine-style web page and blog since 2012 – focusing fully on the golf aspects of the brand including the tournaments and brand ambassadors – for this year’s Masters new dedicated social platforms were added to the activation mix.
In fact, the German automaker kicked off the 2015 golf season at The Masters through its new golf Instagram
and YouTube accounts.
The content largely highlights its ambassadors offering behind-the-scenes images and videos of the tournaments – from the pre-event ‘Countdown’,
to the post-tournament ‘Review’.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Bernhard Langer’s first Masters victory in 1985 and this was one of the key content themes – with ‘Masters Memories’,
and ‘Favourite Shots’.
‘The 1985 Masters was certainly one of the most important milestones in my career. You spend years with the ambition of winning that first major. That is what every professional dreams of, and once you have achieved it, it takes you to a new level. There are many great golfers who have played on tour, but only so many have won majors,’ said Bernhard Langer.
While Martin Kaymer, who starts out as the reigning US Open champion, offers a set of video shot tips.
Also, both in the build-up to and during the tournament, Mercedes-Benz USA used a range of golf references in social posts about its vehicles this week.
Huge luck to @MercedesBenz ambassadors @MKaymer59
Bernhard Langer @RickieFowlerPGA #Masters2015 #themasters #mbGolf pic.twitter.com/bwgViR0T8z
— Mercedes-Benz IRE (@MB_IRELAND) April 7, 2015
For instance, in posts about the new 2016 C-Class, the brand shared about its Intelligent Drive technology with an image of a pedestrian with a red box around him, indicating the car’s intelligence was posted with the text:
‘The 2016 C-Class may not come with an option that yells ‘Fore!’ However, what it does include as part of our Intelligent Drive suite of advanced safety systems is the available Pre-Safe Brake with Pedestrian Recognition.’
Furthermore, more directed posts were published featuring golf clubs or the vehicles on a golf course.
Catch the best of this weekend's #themasters with #mbGolf in Augusta. https://t.co/r76ZGo2jxL
— Mercedes-Benz (@MercedesBenz) April 13, 2015
Each of the brand ambassadors will drive a Mercedes-Benz GL 450 during the Tournament week, with the vehicle fleet also including S-Class models.
Mercedes also provide all players and selected guests of the Augusta National Golf Club with an exclusive vehicle service for the week of the Tournament.
Also at August National itself, the ‘Mercedes-Benz Performance Centre’ represented the brand as the official Masters vehicle (in fact, this mobile space appears at no less than nine tournaments during the golf season, including The Masters and PGA Championships).
This Performance Center provides an interactive and immersive golf experience and gives fans the chance to review their swing with a professional and play golf in a three-dimensional digital experience.
A range of Mercedes vehicles, of course, are also present at the centre.
The promotional focus was built around the international launch campaign for the GLE Coupé and The Masters promotional elements dovetails with an upcoming multi-channel international ad campaign.
As well as TV spots,
traditional ads and online and social media work, the car was presented to Mercedes-Benz VIP-customers from all around the world during the Tournament week.
The car was displayed to Mercedes-Benz VIP customers from all over the world during the week of the Masters Tournament.
As in most other golf competitions that Mercedes-Benz sponsors, at Augusta the German company provides transportation for the players and for the VIP guests of the National Golf Club.
Plus, each of the three main brand ambassadors drove Mercedes-Benz GL 450 during the Tournament week.
The vehicle fleet dispatched for the golf competition also includes several S-Class models.
The brand also produced a ‘Mercedes-Benz Golf Kit’ for clients and guests at The Masters.
The kit including several components set to compliment watching The Masters: including a branded green cap, a pair of white gloves, a Masters 2015 yardage guide, 12 Callaway Hex Warbord golf balls, a tub of pimento cheese and an invite to the Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles.
‘The partnership with the Masters Tournament is of particular importance for Mercedes-Benz’ involvement in sport,’ explains Jens Thiemer, VP Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars, about its eight-year partnership with the Masters Tournament.
‘The Masters is a unique event, holding an iconic place in the world of sport. This major gives Mercedes-Benz an opportunity to focus on the shared values of fascination, perfection and exclusivity. So we’re very pleased to be partnering with the Tournament now for the eighth year.’
Comment
The overall objective for Mercedes sponsorships is to deliver on its ‘Best or Nothing’ brand mantra.
This goes for its work at The Masters, as well as at its other golf tournaments which include The PGA Championships and the US Open.
This means offering premium experiences for fans, customers and dealers – from gold content pieces to giving its customers a chance to interact with the brand ambassadors at a series of exclusive branded ‘meet and greets’.
Mercedes-Benz initially began to get involved in professional golf sponsorship back in the 1980s.
From 2008 to 2013, the automaker was an International Partner of The Masters Tournament and then later became one of the tournaments three Global Sponsors.
In 2011 it began sponsoring The Open and in 2014 signed a deal with the Professional Golf Association of America and Mercedes provides the Official Vehicle at the PGA Championship, the Senior PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup.
Mercedes-Benz also sponsors numerous amateur and professional tournaments at national level.
‘Golf is a platform we have been involved in over 30 years,’ outlines Stephanie Zimmer, head of brand experience marketing at Mercedes-Benz USA.
‘On our side we have a grassroots platform—it is a way to connect with Mercedes-Benz fans who are interested in the lifestyle brand.’
Links
Mercedes-Benz Golf Blog
http://mercedesblog.com/mercedes-benz-plays-golf-as-global-sponsor-for-masters-tournament/
Mercedes-Benz Golf Website
Mercedes-Benz Golf Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/MercedesBenzGolf
Mercedes-Benz Golf YouTube
www.YouTube.com/MercedesBenzTV
Mercedes-Benz Golf Instagram
https://instagram.com/MercedesBenz.Golf
Mercedes-Benz Twitter
https://twitter.com/mercedesbenz
The Masters Website
