Mercedes-Benz consolidates global marketing with Omnicom Group

Mercedes-Benz has consolidated global marketing communications duties with Omnicom Group following a six-month selection process. The appointment takes effect from January 2022 under the name "Team X". Team X will be tasked primarily with the further development of digital and data-based media, as well as brand and performance marketing activities, which assure the customer-centric approach to all target groups along the customer journey - online and offline. The team will also have cross-divisional responsibility for a large number of Mercedes-Benz business units in more than 40 markets worldwide. A long-term partnership is planned.

The new appointment comes after Mercedes-Benz merged its internal communication and marketing departments, and will create a fully integrated, global agency model - from performance content development to media playout and success measurement. The consolidation on the agency side was also made to follow the internal consolidation of performance marketing activities into international hubs in the four regions - China, Europe, the US, and overseas. Omnicom Group will bring together specialists across disciplines within its existing agency network in China, the US and Europe, as well as from antoni and OSK, which were both acquired by the Group yesterday. 

Bettina Fetzer, VP communications and marketing at Mercedes-Benz said the creative unit with hubs in Asia, the US and Europe will take local needs into account early into the strategy and creative work, and adapt global brand presences in a regionally nuanced way.

"In addition, together with all regions, we want to significantly strengthen the communicative and experience-oriented proportion of brand communication. In parallel, we will work as a team on continuous brand development and the design of our style-defining appearance across touchpoints and audiences - in all regions and markets," she added.

Mercedes-Benz explained that Omnicom was selected as it presented a compelling approach, envisioning an integrated and tailor-made agency solution unlocking a holistic view of the consumer across every brand-defining touchpoint, experience and moment along the customer journey. The agency's model combined the ability to further augment desirability for Mercedes-Benz's portfolio while using powerful data to identify and capture future demand potentials.

Before the consolidation, Omnicom handled global media duties while Publicis was in charge of creative, brand and product content. It was first appointed in 2018 and created a new agency known as Publicis Emil thereafter to meet the needs of the brand. 

The new agency set up with Team X also seeks to simplify marketing operations. To consistently increase marketing effectiveness and efficiency, Mercedes-Benz said the intelligent use of data along the customer journey should also be accelerated. The automotive brand also plans to generate brand-defining experiences that lie outside the classic campaign - from events to collaborations. To this end, both agency groups involved in the pitch were additionally asked for a concept for a fully integrated global creative agency. This is intended not only to create a globally consistent brand presence but also consider the special cultural and social characteristics in the relevant regions.

Britta Seeger, member of the board of management of Daimler and Mercedes-Benz responsible for sales, said that by bringing together a new, fully integrated unit, the brand is re-orchestrating all of its communication content across all channels to deliver a data-driven, personalised and seamless brand experience for customers at all touchpoints worldwide. "This is where Team X will act as our holistic, fully networked agency partner for globally sustainable, efficient and effective communication. With this decision, Mercedes-Benz is setting the next milestone inconsistent customer communication on all channels - online and offline," she added.

Chairman and CEO of Omnicom Group, John Wren, said it feels privileged to partner with Mercedes-Benz and that its newly formed Team X delivers on the goal of deploying a sustainable and globally consistent luxury experience for the company’s brand promise globally.

In April this year, Mercedes-Benz merged its marketing and communication activities under Fetzer to have a uniform global presence – for the product brands as well as for the Mercedes-Benz corporate brand. Daimler's head of communications, Jörg Howe, moved to Daimler Truck in July this year to take on the newly created role of special representative external affairs and communications.

Meanwhile, Tobias Just took over as head of corporate communications for Daimler and Mercedes-Benz, while Katja Bott remained responsible for product, technology and brand communication at Mercedes-Benz, as well as Mercedes-Benz Vans communication. The creation of global brand marketing content was also brought together at the headquarters in Stuttgart.

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