Mercedes is adding some social media muscle to a planned 60-second Super Bowl TV spot with a program seeking “Twitter-savvy” auto enthusiasts to race across country to the game in Dallas.
The automaker worked with online casting site GotCast, looking for four two-person teams of drivers.
Mercedes announced the initiative today on its Facebook page. Semifinalists will be contacted on December 24 and will be asked to create a short video making their case. Mercedes will announce finalists on January 5. The company plans to run its ad during the fourth quarter, according to Advertising Age.
The Mercedes-Benz Tweet Race to the Big Game is the world’s first Twitter-fueled race. The first week of February 2011, four two-person teams will embark from different U.S. cities in specially outfitted Mercedes-Benz vehicles bound for Super Bowl XLV in Dallas. Each team’s progress is “fueled” by the amount of Twitter activity it generates, plus its performance in a series of challenges along the way – meaning teams will need to fully engage their social networks to receive the “Tweet Fuel” needed to reach the finish line, successfully complete challenges and earn the highest possible total score. The total score of each team is calculated based on points awarded for the completion of challenges and the overall number of Tweets generated.
The driving team that reaches Dallas at the end of the race with the highest total score will be declared the winner and will receive a pair of all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupes. All competitors receive a ticket to Super Bowl XLV.
Mercedes-Benz will cast four two-person teams consisting of social-media mavens and the co-drivers of their choice. Teams will depart from New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Tampa on February 2, 2011, and will arrive in Dallas on February 4, 2011.
Twitter-account holders can apply for a spot on one of the four Mercedes-Benz Tweet Race teams at www.facebook.com/mercedesbenzusa from December 13 - December 22, 2010. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm PST on December 22.