Geneva 2017; celebrating the van

The UK is in the middle of something remarkable. After the recent vote to Brexit there is lots of talk on how this is going to affect the economy and how businesses will move forward. Especially as the Mayor of London has announced even tighter controls on emissions within the city of London and it is suggested this may start rolling out across other major cities both in the UK, across Europe and then globally.

Looking to boost it’s ‘keep businesses moving’ mission, Mercedes-Benz Vans UK Ltd has launched its first ever national brand TV advert.

They looked to acclaimed TV director Simon Delaney to shoot the advert. Simon has worked on some pretty amazing dramas including the multiple award winning and cult series, Cold Feet so it stands to reason that he would produce a stunning visual campaign in the 30 seconds he was allowed.

You can expect to see women in labour in a Sprinter ambulance, a vulnerable gentleman who is having his home maintained by a Citan driving engineer and a pretty spicy couple being rescued by a Vito taxi. The aim is to highlight the brands point that businesses keep this country moving.

Simon commented that he was annoyed by the term ‘White Van Man’ and the reputation that surrounded that. He said it lumps a wide variety of people and a huge range of jobs into the same lazy category, which couldn’t be further from the truth. If you look at the country and what our van drivers help to deliver then you start to feel pretty silly about throwing the ‘white van man’ phrase around. As highlighted in the advert, paramedics drive vans, the police use vans, we use vans to deliver organs to those on long transplant waiting lists. Van drivers rescue you when you are broken down and bring amazing services to your door. From wraps for cars, flowers on valentine’s day, new furniture or a special treat for your dog. Van drivers keep the world’s businesses going on a daily basis.

You can see the TV advert from 13th March 2017 on Sky AdSmart. It will be supported by Video On Demand and will have lots of digital display and social media activity. The Mercedes brand advert is to highlight that vans are an intrinsic part of everyday life and Mercedes-Benz want to share with the world how proud they are to be a part of this vital part to our nation.

Storycatchers were the Creative agency behind the advert and Andy Hayward, the Creative Director, said “The TV ad is the result of months of working with Mercedes-Benz Vans to position their brand for a UK audience. We set out with the intention to create a film that recognises the vital role UK van drivers make in keeping all our lives moving. So there are emotional, heartwarming moments, dramatic moments and more prosaic moments all supported by the steadfast, reliable presence of the Mercedes-Benz vans and their drivers”

Of course it isn’t just Mercedes-Benz who are creating a buzz in the van world. This year at Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen Commercial Vans are celebrating 70 years of the ‘Bulli” with a special edition

It was 70 years ago when the Dutch VW importer Ben Pon headed out to Wolfsburg and discovered the ‘Plattenwagen’ He took a few sketches and later those sketches became on of the most iconic vans around. The Volkswagen Transporter. To celebrate VW Commercial are unveiling a special edition which combines the charm of the classic transporter with today’s modern tech and quality.

Based on the Multivan Comfortline and using a mix of different elements from the Multivan Highline and the California, for example, the chrome trim and wood-look floor. This special edition is an exciting nod to the excellence of the marque. The traditional two tone paintwork is also making an appearance and you will love the mix of Candy White and Metallic Kurkuma Yellow.

Some of the features you will find on this unique edition include the ‘Bulli’ badges and sticker on the rear window, reminiscent of the well known bumper stickers covering most of the old VW camper and transporters. You will also get a chrome strip with chrome strips and mirror housings. Your passenger compartment has tinted windows and there are matt black decals around the B-pillars which give you the retro styling but with a little modern chic.

The special edition model will be available to order in Germany from the beginning of May. UK availability has yet to be confirmed.

** This is a collaborative post