Mercedes-Benz has launched the first of its new-generation S-Class model line, the 2014 S550, setting a new benchmark for luxury sedans. Available now at dealerships nationwide and showcased through a comprehensive marketing campaign, the 2014 S-Class embodies the pinnacle of automotive innovation and luxury.
Long recognized as the leader in the luxury sedan segment, the flagship S-Class elevates passenger experience with unparalleled comfort features, including a hot-stone massage function, and integrates the most advanced accident-avoidance technology available today.
“The new S-Class epitomizes the essence of the Mercedes-Benz brand,” stated Bernie Glaser, Vice President of Marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA. He emphasized that “The advancements we pioneer in design, safety, engineering, and technology within the S-Class cascade through our entire model range and eventually permeate the automotive industry. This enduring commitment to innovation and leadership, spanning our 127-year history, is why Mercedes-Benz technology is foundational to almost every car on the road today.”
The launch campaign, developed by Merkley+Partners (NYC), commenced with the debut of two signature broadcast advertisements. The first, a 60-second spot titled “Four Words,” delves into the heritage of Mercedes-Benz’s iconic tagline, “The Best or Nothing.” This ad takes viewers on a historical journey through 127 years of Mercedes-Benz history, starting in Gottlieb Daimler’s workshop, the birthplace of the automobile. It progresses through the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, showcasing legendary Silver Arrow race cars, and moves through design centers, crash test facilities, and race tracks. The commercial highlights how these four words, penned by the founder, have consistently challenged Mercedes-Benz to “inspire, provoke, and push boundaries,” ultimately presenting the 2014 S-Class as “our entire automotive philosophy brought to life, once again.”
The second advertisement, a 30-second spot named “Control,” effectively communicates the innovative driving experience of the S-Class, defining “a new era of innovation.” Viewers are treated to a nighttime drive through a dazzling cityscape, spotlighting the vehicle’s exclusive amenities. These range from a soothing hot stone massage and customizable ambient lighting with seven color options to an integrated cabin fragrance system, allowing passengers to personalize their environment with their preferred scent. These features underscore the S-Class’s position as “The highest expression of Mercedes-Benz.”
These compelling ads began airing on major national talk shows such as “Today,” “Nightline,” “Letterman,” and “Jimmy Fallon,” as well as across national broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC), and prominent cable channels including Discovery, History, National Geographic, Travel Channel, and Golf Channel. They are also featured during popular primetime programming like “Modern Family,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Criminal Minds,” “Elementary,” “Face the Nation,” “Meet the Press,” “ESPN Monday Night Football,” and “Sunday Night Football on NBC,” with additional airtime in select regional markets.
Complementing the broadcast campaign, a print campaign centered around the theme “It is our entire automotive philosophy set in motion” is featured in a prominent centerspread in the Wall Street Journal (October 16) and in prestigious magazines such as Tennis Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, Wine Spectator, Private Clubs, Executive Golfer, Architectural Digest, Town & Country, Veranda, Playbill, New Yorker, Black Enterprise, Harvard Business Review, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Fortune. A targeted digital strategy further amplifies the campaign’s reach.
The 2014 S-Class: Setting New Standards in Automotive Excellence
The all-new Mercedes-Benz 2014 S-Class introduces unprecedented levels of luxury, technology, and safety to the market. The interior of the 2014 S-Class is meticulously crafted to indulge all senses. Featuring heated armrests, ionized air purification through the AIR BALANCE PACKAGE, optional First Class rear-seat luxury, and a premium Burmester sound system, the Mercedes-Benz 2014 S-Class is designed to pamper every occupant. Its modern and elegant exterior design is perfectly paired with the intelligent MAGIC BODY CONTROL suspension system, which proactively scans the road ahead and adjusts the suspension for optimal ride comfort.
In terms of safety, Mercedes-Benz advances its commitment to accident-free driving with Intelligent Drive, a comprehensive suite of over 30 standard and optional active and passive safety technologies. The Driver Assistance Package, available in the 2014 S-Class and also in the 2014 E-Class sedan, wagon, coupe, and cabriolet, includes:
- DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist: A radar-based cruise control system offering semi-autonomous steering capabilities, functional from 0-124 mph depending on driving conditions.
- PRE-SAFE Brake: This system autonomously applies the brakes at speeds up to 31 mph, with or without driver intervention, and can significantly reduce accident severity at speeds up to 45 mph.
- PRE-SAFE PLUS: Utilizes rear-facing radar to detect potential rear-end collisions and proactively prepares the vehicle to minimize secondary impacts, such as in an intersection.
- BAS PLUS with Cross Traffic Assist: Employs stereoscopic cameras to monitor cross-traffic situations, providing appropriate brake assistance to prevent accidents at intersections.
- Active Lane Keeping Assist and Active Blind Spot Protection: These systems use one-sided braking interventions to help keep the vehicle safely within its lane and avoid collisions with vehicles in blind spots.
Further enhancing safety, Intelligent Drive incorporates features like Attention Assist, which monitors driver fatigue, and Night View Assist Plus with pedestrian and animal detection, improving visibility in low-light conditions.
Despite its enhanced technology, safety, and comfort, the Mercedes-Benz 2014 S-Class is offered at a competitive price point, comparable to the previous model and actually lower on an MSRP basis, starting at $92,900 (excluding a $925 destination/delivery charge). It is also available in an all-wheel-drive configuration, the S550 4MATIC, and a high-performance AMG variant, the S63 AMG 4MATIC. Furthermore, the 2014 S550 achieves improved fuel efficiency compared to its predecessor, with EPA ratings of 17 mpg city and 26 mpg highway.
Mercedes-Benz will continue to expand the S-Class range with additional powertrain and body style variants throughout 2014.
For accredited journalists seeking videos and images from the 2014 S-Class marketing campaign, resources are available at the MBUSA Media Site: www.media.mbusa.com.
In Conclusion
The Mercedes-Benz 2014 S-Class arrives as more than just a new car; it represents a forward leap in automotive luxury, safety, and technology. From its opulent interior and innovative comfort features to its state-of-the-art safety systems and enhanced efficiency, the 2014 S-Class reaffirms its position as the benchmark luxury sedan, embodying Mercedes-Benz’s unwavering commitment to “the best or nothing.”
