Mercedes-Benz has marked 140 years of automotive innovation with its ‘140 Years. 140 Places.’ global expedition, taking three S-Class vehicles across 140 destinations worldwide. The India leg of the journey covered several cities and regions before concluding in Mumbai.
Conceptualised by BBDO India, the India chapter takes a different approach to the global expedition, positioning India as more than another destination. The campaign focuses on the country’s cities, landscapes, culture and people through the journeys of three S Class vehicles named Bertha, Carl and Gottlieb.
The campaign draws on Mercedes Benz’s automotive history, which traces back to Carl Benz and the Patent Motorwagen. Benz filed the patent for the vehicle in 1886, an invention that is widely recognised as an early milestone in the development of the automobile.
For the India leg, the three vehicles followed different routes across the country.
Gottlieb began its journey in New Delhi and travelled through Amritsar, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The route included Umling La before continuing through Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna. The vehicle then travelled onwards to Bhutan before returning to Delhi.
Bertha and Carl travelled through Hampi, Bengaluru and Goa before reaching Mumbai, where the India chapter of the expedition came to an end.
The Mumbai leg also featured actors Kiara Advani and Karan Johar, who joined Bertha on separate journeys through the city.
In the Kiara Advani led film, she introduces Bertha as her new bestie and takes the vehicle through different parts of Mumbai. The film moves between the city’s heritage architecture, older neighbourhoods, skyline and nightlife before ending with Advani placing a Mumbai location sticker on the car.
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The Karan Johar led film similarly uses Mumbai as the setting for the final part of the journey, with Johar bringing his association with the city into the campaign.
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The India expedition forms part of Mercedes Benz’s wider 60,000 kilometre anniversary journey across six continents, with the three S Class vehicles serving as the campaign’s central characters.
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Speaking about the campaign, Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said, “Mercedes-Benz’s much awaited ‘140 Years. 140 Places.’ world tour is coming to India, celebrating the Three-Pointed Star’s 140 years global legacy of innovation and progress. In India, this world tour aims at capturing the rich cultural tapestry, awe-inspiring architecture, the unique geographical diversities and the unmatched energy and spirit of our customers, who define Mercedes-Benz’s legacy.”
He further added, “India is the famed land of tradition and cultural heritage, as much it is for technological innovation and rapid progress- qualities that strongly resemble S-Class’ own distinguished journey over the decades. We are proud to host ‘140 Years. 140 Places’ global journey in India, narrated through our flagship S-Class.”
Josy Paul, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, BBDO India (team X), said, “We didn’t want India to be just another destination on a 140-year global journey. We wanted it to feel like a homecoming. Through Bertha, Carl and Gottlieb, we celebrated the people, places and spirit that make India unique, bringing Mercedes-Benz’s global legacy to life through a distinctly Indian lens.”
