You're watching...
Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Steve Cannon on the company’s Super Bowl commercial and new CLA model.
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
Here's an indicator the auto industry might be coming back a record eight of them will be running ads during this weekend's Super Bowl -- before the -- even begins.
One company has already been dubbed the -- winner of the group Mercedes-Benz.
New commercial is a devilish twist for the electric car company is -- Tries to break away from their traditional model not only for the -- but for its new -- as -- -- going to be the lowest -- -- they have ever offered with us now.
Steve Kennedy is the presidency all.
Have Mercedes-Benz.
USA and Steve I should mention of course is this Super Bowl is going to be in Mercedes.
Benz superdome so congratulations on that for itself.
But let's talk about this new -- the new -- is all about the new car.
-- -- price of the car is under 30000.
Dollars this is a first for Mercedes-Benz are you at all worried about deluding.
The the brand of Mercedes.
We're not worried at all about deluding branded fact that the C -- that we're launching felt that at the Super -- Absolutely delivers on the Mercedes-Benz brand promise the best and I think so it really is about delivering the right car at the right price we use the Super Bowl because we're open -- up -- brand.
And -- 299 that is a pretty much a while price so.
We we look at it not as deluding the brand but opening up the brand and making it accessible to larger audience.
Okay here it is that the apple is offering him the car and all that would come with that the red carpet the hot days -- experience.
Of the start -- the celebrity any hands of the pet with his long fingernails Willem Dafoe of course plane via the capital and better.
It is truly -- moment where the bill Ford unveils.
And it has that 29930000.
Level price that he says.
That I think I've got bad and as we continue to watch the commercial well.
Everybody -- -- birdies and Japanese magazine that all of these exciting things like Vanity Fair.
Caught up confidence because it is completely different than what -- savings of seven the past which is stay away from celebrities -- hold on simply.
He's just.
The car.
Right.
We -- trying to open up the brand we're going younger and -- pop culture plays with the younger audience.
Our agency -- -- partner did terrific job.
I -- I think they threaded the needle to try to come up without a -- concept the concept that absolutely steps up to the stage of the Super Bowl.
Up communicates price.
But it really isn't just all about price it's about the car it's about the -- it's about all that belongs which.
But price that that kind of that payoff at the end it while you can have all this and it's under 30000 dollars we think that's the wow moment and that's why.
I think the agency did just a beautiful job.
Of a great creative concept now how.
Much of this concept comes from your direct competitive this would be end up because BMW has been has been beating you out recently in the US.
And this is clearly oriented more towards the BMW customer did that play in your calculations at all.
No no we gotta you gotta play our own game right we're not trying to play and BMWs game -- play in the Mercedes-Benz game.
This was a huge opportunity we've got a brand new car at a brand new price point -- year -- done without market is growing.
And the Super Bowl the single biggest event the United States is coming into our house the Mercedes-Benz superdome -- -- put all those factors together we said this is an opportunity that's too good to be true so honestly it had nothing to do with BMW and everything to do with Mercedes-Benz -- its own game.
Okay but -- it here comes that CLA coop for the which I -- the first three letters because of course that mam gummy but.
-- tell you something right now.
You look at this and you say wait a minute not available till the fall is there worried that there might be that sort of time difference and then people think twice and then they don't go with that.
Well the nice thing about.
About kind of -- the market is developed we now have digital we have social so.
We've got the opportunity to make that big splash with the Super Bowl.
-- 111 or a 115 million people are gonna be watching it and -- we've got social and digital to kinda keep that buzz apply going.
Between February and September so where we're excited about the prospects and we already know this is going to be successful launch.
Hey Steve a little bit out of the box is -- your West Point grad -- an army ranger former army ranger.
How did that experience help you to manage Mercedes-Benz.
Well -- I tell you when and first -- -- -- I've got some amazing opportunities for leadership to -- up in the army.
Working with the finest soldiers in the world so kind of leadership this -- and it's been part of who I am has been in my back pocket since I graduated from West Point.
-- -- to me that's that that's been absolutely essential.
And and I kind of carry that we cut through with from for my whole career.
I didn't mean -- Troy is sideways -- that I don't I don't brag about it but I was I was intrigued by that well.
Best of luck here it's going to be a fabulous game we're looking forward the commercials I I'm on the back to a lot of people -- Italy is gonna gonna leave the sound on during these we -- Definitely will be watching for that particular one as the big reveal happens he doesn't need to take the pen from the -- snippets -- expensive wat happens to it on -- thanks Steve and I think claimants gonna -- -- -- I think like go on sale here in the LA it's -- say thank you thank you stay well and.
