- Lucky Star (advert)
"Lucky Star" was an advertisement commissioned by
Mercedes-Benz in 2002 to promote their SL500 automobile. Created byadvertising agency Campbell Doyle Dye, [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117869669.html?categoryid=1009&cs=1 Inside Move: Mercedes "Star" trailer] - Variety,July 14 ,2002 .] it impersonated the form of a trailer for a purported thrillerfeature film titled "Lucky Star". [http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,752100,00.html Wheels within wheels] -The Guardian ,July 9 ,2002 .] [http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/feature.jsp?id=111946 Michael Mann on Lucky Star] -Film4 ] [http://www.commercialalert.org/issues/culture/movies/mercedes-ad-looks-like-action-flick Mercedes Ad Looks Like Action Flick] - commercialalert.org,July 24 ,2002 .] ActorsBenicio del Toro andAna Cristina starred in the piece, which was directed by Michael Mann. [http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=989023 Lucky Star] -everything2.com ,August 16 ,2002 .]Content
The 2½-minute presentation centres on Mr. H (del Toro), whose success in
gambling and onstock market trading attracts the attention ofUnited States intelligence agencies, who are suspicious as to how he can be so consistentlyluck y. They cannot find any evidence of illegal behaviour but nonetheless continue to hound their suspect, eventually forcing him to flee. Pursued by the authorities, including a helicopter, through downtownLos Angeles , he makes a surprise getaway in his car with his female companion Evilina (Cristina).Concept
The piece aired in cinemas and on
television in theUnited Kingdom market, starting in July 2002. Cinemas which desired so could air it as part of the forthcoming-presentations block, after other advertisements, to further promote the illusion of a feature film; advertising rules only require clear transmission of an advertisement's nature in printed media. A companion "official film" website was also commissioned. The production cost for the entire campaign was estimated at GBP 5 million (then USD 7.9 million).Director Michael Mann imagined the piece as if it were a complete motion picture, hiring a number of the production staff he worked with on previous films "
Heat " and "The Insider ", likening the finished product to the classic 1955film noir "Kiss Me Deadly ". Although he was uncredited for his work (the billing credited "Mercedes Films" and retained the rights to make a real "Lucky Star" movie in the future. The "lucky star" ( _de. Dreifach stern) is the name of the three-pointed star that makes up the Mercedes Benz logo.Reaction
Media reaction to the premise of "Lucky Star" commented on its style of
product placement as novel and subtle, drawing comparison with an earlier advertising campaign byBMW , but also criticised Mann and Mercedes for utilising moviegoers'suspension of disbelief to promote their product.References
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