Mercedes-Benz
Brand identity and companion website for a new customer focused program: Mobile Mechanic
What I did: Interaction design, Visual design, Brand identity
Overview
The Mobile Mechanic program by Mercedes-Benz focuses on providing customers with the ability to have their vehicles serviced at their homes or offices, alleviating the inconvenience of having to visit the dealership for simple to moderate maintenance.
Project goals
Design a brand identity and website that educates potential customers about the benefits of the program and guides them towards scheduling their first appointment.
Customer research
I worked closely with the North America Business Innovation group within Mercedes-Benz to understand the target customer needs and concerns regarding the program. Interviews were conducted and shared giving me insights into not only what people were excited about but also possible friction points which the site would need to alleviate.
My focus for the project was to create a simple to navigate site that highlighted the benefits of the Mobile Mechanic program while also addressing those concerns highlighted in the research.
Logo design
Mobile Mechanic was a start-up within Mercedes-Benz, which acted independently yet had the support and resources that come with a globally recognized brand.
The final logo had a polished quality Mercedes-Benz was looking for but also introduced new playful elements as a nod to the start-up mindset. The gear was added to represent the mechanical aspect of the service while the silhouette of the home was meant to connect the customer’s thoughts of a mechanic to their home. The home also doubled as an upward facing arrow inducing feelings of progress and improvement.
Defining the site’s purpose
The structure of the site was simple yet the goals for each page were heavily discussed and well defined. I worked closely with the product managers to document the purpose of each page and presented ideas based on the research for how best to address the goals for each page. Page goal summaries:
Homepage - Provide a high level overview of the service with an easy way for customers to learn more about the details process.
About - Use text and videos to educate customers on different aspects of the service, targeting specific concerns people raised during the interviews.
Service Map - Since the service was targeting a specific region, we wanted customers to not only be able to see where the service was available but also provide details about the caliber and credentials of the mechanics in the area who were partnered with the program.
Testimonials - Mercedes had piloted the service with several customers and collected video and written testimonials on its performance and value. It was important to have a centralized location where we could share this customer voice and entice new visitors into trying the service.
Promo - As a final incentive, a promotional page was created where new customers could receive a discount on their first service using the code provided.
Low fidelity sketches were created and shared before moving into wireframing individual pages. I presented each revision, along with possible copy for the pages, to the Mercedes product team and iterated based on feedback ensuring that the goals outlined for each page were still being met after any changes.
Putting it all together
Once the team approved the wireframes, I began to create the visual design for the site. I designed within the established brand guidelines to ensure that the visual design of the site matched the look and feel of the Mercedes-Benz brand while still invoking a sense of independence the Mobile Mechanic program was aiming for.
Throughout the project I collaborated directly with the development team, providing final assets and addressing any questions that arose during the development phase.
Final thoughts
As someone who is personally passionate about automobiles, it was a fantastic opportunity to work with the team at Mercedes-Benz to help bring the Mobile Mechanic brand to life. From initial discussions to final launch of the site took approximately 12 weeks.
The program ran continuously for two years before being retired. My personal thoughts on reasons for its closure are that I came to believe customers visiting dealerships for maintenance is prime opportunity for dealers to promote new vehicles to existing customers. Being able to provide a loaner car while a customer’s vehicle is repaired also allows dealerships to showcase newer models.
I would have liked to explore more incentive opportunities for existing Mobile Mechanic customers, such as providing discounts on larger service packages that could only be done at dealerships to encourage further use of the program.
“I hired David for a brand development project, a logo and website creative build (design & copy) from scratch. He was great at building the brand voice, extending this to a compelling design and really conveying the brand essence. He worked with our team in a tight deadline and produced great work. I would hire him again for brand development work!”
— Pamela King | Senior Innovation Marketing Strategist, Business Innovation
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc.