Mercedes-Benz wanted to tie its rich hundred-year heritage as the pioneer of the commercial gasoline-powered van into the current Sprinter without seeming stuffy. The solution? Animation! It lets you be both fun and informative. We called it "Vanapalooza!"

Client: High Gear Media
Brand: Mercedes-Benz USA via Merkley+Partners
Creative Director: Ray Wert, Tiny Toy Car
Creative Inspiration: Mallory McMorrow, HēLō
Design Elements: Cub Studio / Fraser Davidson
Animation: Pluto

Our Role

High Gear Media came to Tiny Toy Car looking for help with a project linking the hundred-year history of Mercedes-Benz as a pioneer of the van to the new Sprinter. Our concept was to tell the story in a fun and informative way using After Effects animation. 

Our team wrote the script, commissioned Cub Studio, the animation house founded by BAFTA-award winning animator Fraser Davidson, to develop the initial design, and brought in Detroit, Michigan-based Pluto to animate Cub Studio's gorgeous visuals. From start to finish, Tiny Toy Car handled the entire creative process for our client—and even managed to sneak a few easter eggs into the video for added whimsy.

After the short film went live, Tiny Toy Car implemented an earned media strategy which resulted in dozens of media stories and hundreds of tweets and Facebook posts.