DIMO Selects Saatchi Sri Lanka for Mercedes-Benz Creative Duties

Following a competitive multi-agency pitch in September, Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC (DIMO) have signed Saatchi & Saatchi Sri Lanka on to its agency roster, where it will join two local agencies for creative duties on the Mercedes-Benz account. As one of the German automaker’s oldest authorised distributors in Asia, DIMO has graced Sri Lankan roads with Mercedes-Benz vehicles for over 7 decades.

“As the best-selling luxury car and with Sri Lankan vehicle registrations at an all-time high, it truly is an exciting time to work with such an iconic automobile brand,” said Dushantha Ahangama, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Sri Lanka. “We are privileged to work with an extremely passionate and ambitious team at DIMO and look forward to accomplishing great things together.”

Sajiv Panditha, Head of Planning and Innovation at Saatchi & Saatchi Sri Lanka also said, “The opportunity to work with Mercedes-Benz in Sri Lanka presents fascinating creative and strategic challenges that serve as endless inspiration for transformational ideas. And with a relationship driven by intelligence and innovation, we can’t wait to kick-start the several exciting projects planned together with the highly enthusiastic team at DIMO.”

For their first assignment, the agency has been tasked with the launch of the all-new Mercedes-Benz SUV range in Sri Lanka, which features elements of the global celebrity-studded storytelling campaign in addition to local activations. The global TV spot, aptly titled “Inspiration” showcases the revamped SUV family in different landscapes to emphasise the character of the different celebrity ambassadors, namely professional surfer Garrett McNamara, top model Petra Němcová, Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, show jumper Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and adventurer Mike Horn.

“We are delighted to welcome this partnership with Saatchi & Saatchi,” added Rajeev Pandithage, General Manager – Sales and Parts at DIMO. “The depth of local understanding combined with the agency’s expertise in global processes is clearly demonstrated in their vision for the brand, which will undoubtedly help us strengthen our position as a market leader in Sri Lanka.”