Mercedes-Benz and Amazon Ads Collaboration
Mercedes-Benz USA partnered with Amazon Ads to create a series of custom advertisements that aired during January and February alongside Prime Video’s NBA broadcasts. As the presenting sponsor for NBA on Prime Saturday games for this season, which started in October, Mercedes-Benz has been an early collaborator as Prime Video ventured into sports.
According to Melody Lee, CMO of Mercedes-Benz USA, the luxury market in the U.S. has seen significant changes, with a more diverse audience and younger luxury buyers. “Prime Video offers an outstanding viewing experience, aligning with our goal to broaden advertising reach while remaining faithful to our heritage,” she explained.
This ongoing collaboration highlights how Amazon is enhancing its advertising capabilities, particularly in the realm of live sports, which has become a crucial avenue for engaging large audiences. “Mercedes can experiment with us and build branded content, which allows them to utilize other ad technologies for remarketing and maintaining viewer engagement on various Amazon platforms,” stated Amy McDevitt, head of sports brand partnerships at Amazon Ads.
Merkley+Partners assisted with campaign strategy, while PHD managed media investments. The campaign features multiple vignettes showcasing chaos in the “NBA on Prime Video” studio when analyst Dirk Nowitzki goes missing, only to be found enjoying the luxurious features of the Mercedes-Benz GLS in the parking garage.
“Buying a luxury vehicle is an emotional journey,” Lee remarked. “At Mercedes-Benz, we aim to connect with viewers on an emotional level, ensuring that our marketing not only highlights our products but also evokes feelings of comfort and home.”
Strategic Reach During Peak Attention
The alliance with Amazon surrounding the “NBA on Prime Video” enables Mercedes-Benz to engage with dedicated audiences during key moments. Creating contextually relevant content with partners like Amazon is essential for breaking through the clutter of advertisements consumers face.
Amazon’s advertising efforts during the NBA builds on the success it experienced with “Thursday Night Football,” which officially started broadcasting only on Prime in the 2022 season. Brands involved with “Thursday Night Football” saw a substantial increase in favorable opinions and consumer consideration, outperforming traditional NFL sponsorships.
In addition to the Nowitzki advertisements, Amazon collaborated with Mercedes-Benz to boost the automaker’s messaging for the Sony Pictures film “GOAT” during “NBA on Prime Video” broadcasts in their Culver City studio. They are also planning a studio takeover later in March for a new video highlighting Mercedes-Benz.
Amazon’s approach focuses on maximizing collaborative marketing initiatives to help partners meet their incremental objectives, which now extend beyond the NFL and into WNBA broadcasts, excitingly anticipating a unique Prime Video sports perspective for the WNBA.
