Chatbot lets users experience adventures like “live”
:What happens when a team of photographers and influencers sets off for Japan to discover the land of the rising sun with the Mercedes-Benz G-Class? The result is one of the most comprehensive social media content productions: Mercedes-Benz and Oliver Schrott Kommunikation present the digital road trip between tradition, modernity and nature across various social media channels and in an unusual depth of content. The special: The users could experience the adventures on and off the street almost „live“ with the crew via Facebook Chatbot.
For 14 days, photographers Max Münch and Alen Palander as well as filmmaker Oliver Astrologo and Vlogger Carlos Mario Kurschligen travelled through Japan: from the metropolis of Tokyo with its skyscraper gorges and temples, the team headed for Shizuoka with Mount Fuji, the Japanese Alps to the famous autumn festival in Hakone, the old imperial city of Kyoto and the pilgrim paths of Kumano Kodo in Wakayama. The group covered almost 3,000 kilometres and captured not only the advantages of the off-road vehicle but also the fascinating landscape of Japan.
During the trip there were daily updates via Facebook messenger with text, video and picture content for the Japan Road Trip. Users were able to participate interactively and personalized in the trip with the G-Class. A storytelling bot of this size and with this narrative format is an absolute novelty in the automotive industry.
At the same time, users on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo, Pinterest and LinkedIn were able to discover a variety of image and moving image formats. The result of the numerous impressions is, in addition to the interactive chatbot, a two-minute campaign film, which was accompanied by website articles and social media postings. In addition, three vlogs were created that summarize the crew’s „Behind-the-Scenes“ moments. A website article on MB.com summarized the whole story of the #japanexplorers. In addition, all video assets and a picture gallery were integrated. The four protagonists shared their experiences in Japan through their own social media channels. Other partners involved in the campaign included Olympus, the Japanese Tourist Board, DJI and Tokyo Tokyo, who also shared their experiences through their own channels.
The aim was to make the feeling of adventure and freedom during a road trip with the new G-Class a digital experience for a young, travel-affine target group and to create the closest possible proximity between the product and the Mercedes-Benz followers. The road trip also generated lifestyle content for the overarching #strongerthantime campaign and increased its perception.
The journey in the chatbot on Facebook can also be relived now.
