Mercedes-Benz Advert Analysis

Mercedes-Benz Advert

The Mercedes-Benz advert was created and produced by Mercedes-Benz to promote their institution. The advert follows a boy who sneaks out of his house and travels to a police station claiming to be lost in order for the police officer to escort him home in his Mercedes-Benz. Towards the end of the advertisement, the audience can see the boy resting in the back seat of the car in a cozy & comfortable manner. This suggests to the audience that Mercedes-Benz create and produce warm and comfortable vehicles as implied by the setting of the advertisement.

The setting of the advertisement is a cold, likely winter night which supports the suggestion that Mercedes-Benz produce warm and comfortable vehicles. The cold setting is also implied by the costume worn by the boy. The boy is dressed in a winter coat, a wool hat, scarf and gloves. A frequent camera shot used throughout the advertisement is a long shot which is used to establish the setting and location of the set. In this case, it is a compilation of parking garages, trains and the front of a police station. There is also a shot reverse shot used when the boy confronts and speaks to the police officer. This may indicate to the audience that the boy and police officer have had previous encounters which is further indicated when the police officer responds to the boy's statement of being lost by saying "But this is gonna be the last time." The song played in the advertisement is mellow and soothing with soft lyrics to emphasise comfort and relaxation. The dialogue is diegetic as the characters can be seen projecting sound when speaking, identifying them as the source of sound, hence the dialogue being considered diegetic. The music however is non diegetic as the source of the music cannot be seen throughout the advertisement since it is an external source. Towards the end of the advertisement, there is a close up on the car remote which allows the audience to identify the product or product producers before they reveal themselves.

The Logo is shown to the audience towards the end of the advertisement. It is shown on the care key/remote and later the page consisting of the brand name, logo and slogan. The Mercedes logo is iconic and instantly recognizable to the audience. The slogan reads "Das Beste Oder Nichts" which translates to "The Best Or Nothing". This implies to the audience that Mercedes-Benz vehicles are the best option and that any other option does not compare and is considered "nothing". The advert also includes the institution's name to further emphasise the iconic reputation and image of their brand.

There is also a form of intertextuality imbedded into the advertisement. Although it is subtle, the first vehicle shown on the advertisement is a BMW which the boy walks past, subtly hinting at the boy's preference. It may be suggesting that the family own a BMW and the boy does dislikes the family's choice of car. A technique used throughout the advertisement is capturing the reactions of pedestrians who witness the boy travelling at night by himself. This shows the audience the lengths that others will go to for some time in a Mercedes-Benz.