Mercedes-Benz
“Fable: The Big Race”
Visual Effects | Production Design
Originally airing during Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, this delightful commercial takes place in an enchanted forest and all its amazing inhabitants. A retelling of the ‘Tortoise and the Hare’ fable, these two characters are at it again with another race. This time, Tortoise wins big when he discovers the Mercedes-Benz automobile plant in the middle of the forest. He drives away with the new 2015 AMG GT and crosses over the finish line first, beating Hare to his own game.
“When we sold through the idea of ‘Fable’, we realized that we needed to push the boundaries of what CPG effects were going to be. And Robert Stromberg fit that bill in every way.”
“We were so excited to work with Robert on this project. He has so much experience working in the visual effects industry. He’s got this beautiful visual language that he brings to every project that he works on.”
Robert made his debut as a commercial helmer with Mercedes-Benz. His past work as an art director on Alice in Wonderland and Avatar is clearly evident in the German automaker’s take on Aesop’s “The Tortoise and the Hare,” with its CG characters and fantasy setting. “We tend to think of fables as things of the past,” Robert said of the 60-second spot that took three months to produce and was lensed in Oregon. “It’s fascinating for me to render a classic tale with modern tools, yet keep the message timeless.”
The Mercedes Fable commercial was unveiled on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" together with a car giveaway, pitting audience members against each other in a race, wearing Tortoise and Hare costumes.