Reimagining Iconic: Behind the Scenes on the Moncler x Nigo x Mercedes-Benz Collaboration
When luxury fashion house Moncler teamed up with Mercedes-Benz and designer Nigo for their latest campaign, the goal was to create something visually stunning that resonated beyond traditional car advertising.
Stink Films Berlin director/creative director, Tim Groetzinger - at the time, a creative director at antoni Berlin (Mercedes Benz's lead agency) - worked with director Thibaut Grevet and Anorak on the main campaign for the collab. Meanwhile, Stink director Theodor Guelat created a 'Making of' film, working directly with Mercedes to bring a fresh perspective to the project. He embraced open briefs and creative freedom to highlight the overlooked beauty of the G-Wagon.
Speaking with LBB’s Olivia Atkins, Tim, Theodor and the antoni team discuss their respective approaches to the campaign and behind the scenes film, as well as the inspiration behind the urban rooftop setting, and how they turned constraints into creative opportunities to deliver a campaign that challenges the conventional.
LBB> How did the fashion collaboration between Nigo, Moncler and Mercedes-Benz come about?
Tim> Mercedes and Moncler had an existing relationship, as we’d done a previous campaign last year together. So, this year for the second drop, we already had a foundation to build on, which was great. The good thing with these kinds of collaborations is, that you don’t need to sell and communicate features in the first place, but to create visually stunning, disruptive work that resonates with a fashion audience.
LBB> Style- and practical-wise, tell me about the decision to create the textured roof?
Tim> Every year, Moncler has its 'Moncler Genius' event, and this year it was held in Shanghai, called 'The City of Genius'. They created a massive city installation, with each collaborator – there were ten in total – given their own block. The brief was simple: imagine the Mercedes-Benz x Moncler block in this city of genius.
When we started brainstorming, the first thought was that it obviously needs to take cues from an urban setting, so it needed to feel like it co-exists with the environment and reflects humanity. But there were fixed elements we had to work with — like the G-Class, which would be remade by Nigo. It was one of the original 1979 G-Classes, and in the first campaign, this vehicle had been sent to a different planet, symbolising a sense for exploration, which is core to the G-Class as an off-road vehicle, and to Moncler, with its highly functional, weather-proof designs.
The rooftop concept played on the idea of providing a safe space in a city. It’s a place of freedom, away from the noise of the streets below. It’s peaceful, offering room for new ideas to emerge. The base of the car that Nigo redesigned is highly-functional. You could fold down the windshield, remove the roof and bars, making it almost completely flat, abstracting the learned silhouette of the car, which we used for the establishing shot of the campaign. Because what had been sent to outer space last year, has to return at one point.
The challenge was figuring out how to elevate it and add a sophisticated, artistic layer to it. We approached this by creating tableaux vivants – a classic technique that combines aspects from theatrical and visual arts. Think of something like Da Vinci’s 'The Last Supper' - one of the most famous examples of this style. Essentially, it was about creating a living still life.
LBB> Theodor, what was the brief you received from the agency for the 'Making of' piece?
Theodor> I worked directly with the client on this project. The brief was very open and on a creative level, very free. I was asked to interpret in my own way and to bring my own vision to the project. The only indication I received was to follow the various steps of the collaboration from its development to the customisation to the final event: the product launch.
LBB> How did you interpret it to align with the aesthetic of the Moncler x Nigo collection?
Theodor> I did not try to interpret the imagery of the brand or designer, I just used my personal taste and vision and tried to apply my own aesthetic to the project.
LBB> The spot feels very mechanical, with each element serving a clear purpose and showcasing the perfection of craft. How did you enhance that sense of precision through your approach, and how did you decide which shots to prioritise?
Theodor> The initial idea was not to reveal the car right away, but to highlight the details that often go unnoticed. We tend to remember a product as a whole, but I wanted to emphasise the tiny elements that, when combined, create an iconic object like the G-Wagon. We focused heavily on close-up shots to breathe new life into the mechanical parts, which, when decontextualised and presented individually, hold a strong aesthetic power in my view.
It wasn’t complicated to decide which shots to enhance and use. My cinematographer, Dominik and I reasoned, using our instinct for aesthetics.
LBB> How did you balance the visuals with the narrative to ensure that everything
came together cohesively?
Theodor> We didn’t have a traditional script; the approach was more like a documentary. We started with core ideas that evolved throughout the shoot. There were several limitations – time, location, and so on – but the key was to turn these constraints into strengths for the project.
LBB> Interestingly, the spot barely features the product, yet the marketing concept is still communicated effectively. Why do you think this approach works so well?
Theodor> Because it shows the car from a fresh perspective, revealing something the viewer hasn’t seen before. The aim was to offer a different take compared to the usual approach to showcasing a product like an automobile.
LBB> The editing is tight and precise. How involved were you in the edit, and how did you ensure the message remained clear within a minute?
Theodor> I was quite involved in the editing process – editing gives such huge value to a project, if it is done well and retains the narrative.
You can say everything you need in a minute. And a tight edit forces you to remove anything that’s superfluous and only keep the most solid, important elements. There’s often a tendency to pack an edit with lots of great scenes or shots, but I’ve always believed that the less you add, the more value each piece holds.
LBB> What were the biggest challenges you faced during the shoot, and how did you overcome them?
Theodor> There were quite a few challenges of all kinds, from time and organisation, to budget and location. But limitations can offer inspiration for finding smart and creative solutions. Without these limitations in place, our results would have been different.
