Mercedes-Benz is using the U.S. Open to plug its entry into the electric vehicle race, with some help from Alicia Keys.
The luxury auto brand, a longtime sponsor of the tennis tournament, is running an in-person interactive installation to promote its new line of electric vehicles, called Mercedes-EQ. It features a walkway of kinetic tech floor tiles, which resemble a puzzle of black and brilliant blue triangles. When compressed by a footstep, an electromagnetic generator converts a small amount of electricity into clean energy.
The energy each participant generates will be used in the coming months to power an upcoming invitation-only event featuring Keys. The brand will give away two free tickets for the event each day, awarded at random, to people who partake in the experience. Brand representatives did not provide details on the nature of the Keys event.
Mercedes used the agency Engine Shop and production group Czarnowski for the experiential event. The campaign comes as a host of automakers —including Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen—are spending more marketing dollars on electric vehicles.