Mercedes-Benz Canada Challenges Canadians to Drive & Seek
Interactive mobile gaming app will engage new audiences and offer players the chance to win a 2012 C-Class Coupe
Mercedes-Benz Canada today announced the release of an interactive, location-based gaming app, called Drive & Seek. A Canadian first and part of a focused approach to communicate with new audiences, Drive & Seek was released in conjunction with the launch of the all-new 2012 C-Class Coupe. The intent is to create an engaging and interactive brand experience that will connect with a more youthful audience and offer players the opportunity to win the grand prize of a 2012 C-Class Coupe.
Developed by henderson bas kohn, the espionage themed Drive & Seek app builds off a larger campaign and interactive movie, challenging players to hunt for virtual briefcases dropped at various GPS locations. Using their smart phone and the game app, players must find ten briefcases a week for four weeks through radar that pinpoints their current location and the secret location of the next briefcase. The app features a compass and distance meter guiding players to complete their mission. If they need assistance, players can use location tips to receive hints about the briefcase's location, or even engage their Facebook friends to help them track down the next briefcase.
Once players are close to the actual briefcase location, the app will switch to sonar, telling them how far they are away through sound. When players find a briefcase, they can collect it and unlock it to reveal information about the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe. In addition, every tenth briefcase will unlock an augmented reality experience, where participants can interact with a 3D model of the car for an in-depth look at the technological advancements and luxurious features of the refined and sporty new C-Class Coupe.
By locating as many briefcases as possible within their radius, the top 125 game players will receive additional contest entries to win the grand prize of a 2012 C-Class Coupe, or one of four secondary prizes. The winner of the C-Class Coupe will be announced in November 2011.
"The C-Class Coupe is a particularly sporty new addition to the highly successful C-Class family. Combining style and elegance with a pronounced dynamism and exemplary level of safety, the new C-Class Coupe will have an unquestionable appeal to a younger demographic so we felt it was critical that our marketing strategy reflected this and engaged with a more youthful, technically savvy audience," said Marc Boderke, Vice President of Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Canada. "We have shattered numerous existing sales milestones in Canada and continued to attract many new customers to the brand. Exploring new media is a crucial next step to our continued growth. The development and introduction of the Drive & Seek app will expand our existing channels of interaction with current and potential customers, while providing an engaging and a compelling user experience with the brand."
About Mercedes-Benz Canada
Mercedes-Benz Canada is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of the four brands within the Mercedes-Benz Group in Canada: Mercedes-Benz, smart, AMG, and Maybach. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. employs approximately 1,300 people in 19 locations across Canada. Through a nationwide network of 13 Mercedes-Benz owned retail operations and 40 authorized dealerships, Mercedes-Benz Canada sold 31,651 vehicles in 2010, the best year ever reported for Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.
For more information, please contact:
JoAnne Caza 416-847-7550 joanne.caza@mercedes-benz.ca
Michael Minielly 416-847-7509 michael.minielly@mercedes-benz.ca
Further information from Mercedes-Benz is available on the internet at: www.media.mercedes-benz.ca
