Skip advert
Advertisement

New Car Awards 2014: best advertising campaign

Mercedes Intelligent Drive: ‘Chicken' ad is this year's winner for best advertising campaign

Mercedes Chicken advert

Our first-ever award for best advertising campaign goes to Mercedes, which went for bold with the TV commercial for its new S-Class. Featuring a room full of chickens moving to the beat of a Diana Ross soundtrack, the quirky ad cleverly demonstrates the luxury saloon’s Magic Body Control adaptive suspension without ever showing an image of the car.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Developed by German agency Jung von Matt and originally intended only for broadcast in Mercedes’ home market, the 45-second film found its way on to YouTube and became an Internet sensation, racking up more than 11 million hits in just nine months.

The idea behind the ad is simple and effective, and perfectly highlights how the S-Class’ trick suspension works. As a pair of white-gloved hands moves the chicken’s body up and down and side to side, the bird’s head stays perfectly level. By contrast, the car uses cameras to read the road ahead and adjusts the air springs and adaptive dampers to keep the body steady over bumps.

Aside from being a neat way to highlight the limo’s hi-tech kit, the humorous ad campaign brought the Mercedes brand to the attention of a wider audience – and that’s ultimately what every advertising campaign aims to do.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Not bothered by MoT advisories? That may be about to change
Protyre area manager Simon Hall inspecting a Vauxhall Corsa's tyre

Not bothered by MoT advisories? That may be about to change

The number of MoT failures caused by worn tyres is on the rise, and experts are calling for mandatory follow-ups on advisories
News
12 May 2025
Confirmed: New VW Golf GTI will be electric – and it’s a “monster”
VW Golf GTI badge

Confirmed: New VW Golf GTI will be electric – and it’s a “monster”

VW is taking the iconic hot hatchback brand into the electric era with the new Golf GTI EV already in development…
News
13 May 2025
Audi e-tron GT gets huge £20k price cut as new entry-level quattro joins range
Audi e-tron GT quattro - front 3/4 dynamic

Audi e-tron GT gets huge £20k price cut as new entry-level quattro joins range

Most basic e-tron GT also comes with the longest range and nigh-on 500bhp
News
13 May 2025