Permanently striving to reinvent is a trait that bonds Mercedes-Benz with the German national football team. The “Best Never Rest” campaign which Mercedes-Benz is initiating for the football World Cup in Russia puts this in a nutshell. It is getting under way on social media and in stadium communications, and the motifs will then be shown via further communication channels. As well as the team itself, the stars of the World Cup campaign are the new C-Class models from Mercedes-Benz.

Emre Can (Germany) at the Mercedes-Benz C-class.

Mesut Özil (Germany) at the Mercedes-Benz C-class.

Around three months before the opening game of the football World Cup in Russia on 14 June 2018 in Moscow, Mercedes-Benz is rolling out the “Best Never Rest” campaign. The campaign motifs show the untiring striving for advancement and perfection which Mercedes-Benz and THE TEAM share – and which drives both to top performance over and over again. “Always keep on moving, keep on fighting, don’t rest on your laurels – this is what THE TEAM stands for and this is what we stand for”, says Dr Jens Thiemer, Vice President Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. “This attitude is driving the German national football team on their path to that fifth star representing their fifth title. And this ambition always to continue developing and as the best to become even better, now has a name with our campaign: ‘Best Never Rest’.”

Top achievements in the Qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup, plus an outstanding press from the international sports journalists confirm the TEAM’s renewed ambition to lead. “We’re starting from an outstanding basis”, says Oliver Bierhoff, Manager of the TEAM. “But that isn’t enough. To take the title we can’t allow ourselves to repeat the mistake we made in 1990 and rest on the laurels of our World Cup title. In order to remain the best we always have to continue developing, we must never stand still.”

The “Best Never Rest” World Cup campaign draws on this high standard in emotionally charged motifs and sets the mood for the most important sporting event of the rest of this year. “The campaign’s motto hits the nail on the head”, says National Coach Joachim Löw. “Because this is precisely the stuff champions are made of: they’re not satisfied with what they’ve achieved, they’re greedy for the next success. We need this fighting spirit and absolute will to win in Russia in order to overcome such strong and hungry opponents as Spain and Brazil.”

Mercedes-Benz USA inked a 10-year agreement with the Louisiana Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints, that provides official naming rights among other sponsorship benefits including being named the Official and Exclusive vehicle of the NFL’s Saints. The newly named Mercedes-Benz Superdome is playing host to several upcoming premier events including 2012 Men’s Final Four and BCS Championship Game in addition to the 2013 Super Bowl.

“The joining of the Mercedes-Benz brand with the world-class Saints organization and the Superdome, an iconic destination which has undergone an incredible transformation over the past six years, is a significant moment for us, the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana,” said Ernst Lieb, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA. “Our commitment over the next decade is to the Saints fans, team, and this famous community as it flourishes beyond anyone’s expectations.”

This is the first naming rights deal in the U.S. for the luxury car maker and also for the legendary New Orleans sports and exhibition stadium, which recently completed a six-year $336 million renovation project that is positioning the stadium as a premier destination for major events for years to come.

“I am thrilled to be able to announce a winning and long-term partnership between the Saints, Mercedes-Benz and now the Mercedes-Benz Superdome” said New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson. “The Mercedes-Benz brand represents the very best in its industry and we believe that is a perfect fit for this stadium, which as a result of the unprecedented and innovative renovation project recently completed is one of the world’s greatest sporting venues. We felt strongly it was essential that if we were to offer the name of our building to a company, it would be one that all of our fans and the State of Louisiana would be proud of. The investment being made by a premier international brand who believes in “the best or nothing”, is a tremendous compliment to all of those who worked so hard to make the stadium what it is today.”

The undisclosed cost of the 10-year agreement has many benefits and opportunities for Mercedes-Benz including branding and signage throughout and nearby the newly named Mercedes-Benz Superdome. In addition, the Saints print and online publications will feature Mercedes-Benz content and advertising and the Company will have access to Saints coaches and players for special events and promotions. Mercedes-Benz plans to leverage its access to many of the events to create unique programs such as customer and fan appreciation activities.

“This is a great, great partnership,” said Governor Bobby Jindal. “I know for many years there have been attempts to sell this sponsorship, and I think the restructured deal and the new Superdome are two of the reasons this is actually happening. So I think this is great for the Saints and great for the state.”

According to the Ultimate Standing poll by ESPN Magazine in 2010, the New Orleans Saints ranked number one among all major league sports team franchises, which is based on the team that gives back to the fans in exchange for all the time, money and emotion the fans invest in them. The Superdome is home to a record 6 Superbowls, including Super Bowl XII (1978), XV (1981), XX (1986), XXIV (1990), XXXI (1997), XXXVI (2002), plus another, XLVII, coming in 2013.

With the World Cup kicking off over the weekend, what video could be better than watching your favorite F1 team getting in on the action?  Demonstrating the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team’s love of the World Cup, Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg and Nick Heidfield show off their football skills in the pit. Of course, the F1 stars also take the opportunity to wish good luck to the German national team and give a little extra incentive for Germany’s world championship push.  Finally, Nico takes the German football players Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger in the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG for a bit of a joy ride around the countryside.  And, in case you missed it, Germany beat Australia 4-0, and their next match is June 18th against Serbia (the U.S. team tied England 1-1).

You can watch the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS football video in its entirety below.

On Tuesday, June 1, Nico Rosberg visited the German national football team who are preparing for the 2010 FIFA World Cup at their training camp in Eppan, South Tyrol.

A keen football player and supporter, Nico met the team’s manager Joachim Löw and had a kick-about on the training pitch with captain Philipp Lahm, Lukas Podolski and Peer Mertesacker. He also met Wolfgang Hochfellner, the man who drives the team around in their Mercedes-Benz coach. The side panels of the team bus advertise the German team’s 4. Stern für Deutschland (Fourth Star for Germany) campaign.

The partnership between the DFB (German Football Association) and Mercedes-Benz began in 1972 and the World Cup campaign organised by Mercedes-Benz offers all fans of the national team two ways of showing their support: firstly by wearing the official badge and secondly by registering on the campaign website at www.der-vierte-stern-fuer-deutschland.de