When Mercator undertook a thorough rejuvenation of its communication in April 2017, a song by the barely known Alice Merton, No Roots, played a decisive role. Today, it has reached 75 million views on YouTube, and in Slovenia (according to the national radio station Val202) it became the second most frequently played foreign song.
In the beginning of 2018, the marketing team of Mercator and the ArnoldVuga agency faced quite a challenge: how not to lose a great potential, but still to take a step forward also in the musical sense? Together they decided to entrust the adaptation and performance to musicians who have themselves made a similar journey from the local environment to the global fame. Stjepan Hauser and Luka Šuljić, a Croatian-Slovenian duo, which became known around the world as 2Cellos, agreed to perform No Roots by Alice Merton in Mercator’s 2018 campaign.
Istrian Stjepan and Styrian Luka, classically-educated top-level cellists, became famous as the opening act of Elton John’s world tour, and since then, have been filling stadiums and prestigious concert venues from Verona Arena to Sydney Opera. They embody that which distinguishes the best neighbour: when it comes to superior quality and well-being, no border is an obstacle. Not the one between pop and classical music, not the one between countries, and not the one between people. Whatever they do, they meet world standards and impress the widest audience. They are especially popular among young people.
Visitors to the Mercator Center in Šiška, who are already accustomed to all sorts of surprises, on Sunday, March 25, could initially not believe what they were hearing: only a few days after 2Cellos helped introduce a new electric car at the Geneva Motor Show, and a couple of days before their Canadian tour, they recorded a tv ad for Mercator in Šiška!
As already twice last year, film director Sašo Podgoršek, an experienced master of music videos and TV ads, directed for Mercator. The ad is broadcasted publically since April 8, and features the main heroine, who is trying out all the dimensions of good in Mercator’s offer: I know very well (home-made and processed products), I eat very well (enjoying fresh and quality food) and I am well (top-class service and overall atmosphere in our stores). The Bigger than Life dimension of the show inspired the designers of the ArnoldVuga agency to spread the experience of the performance in Šiška to the unusual original formats in the daily newspapers too. In addition to the OOH and a powerful digital campaign, the campaign is complimented by a documentary on the recording of the event as well as a special YouTube version of the integral performance of 2Cellos.
Right after their performance, perhaps the most long-term idea was born: with their help, Mercator will select the most talented young musicians among the children of Mercator employees and encourage them with a two-year scholarship. Thus, in addition to memorable music, this one-time appearance of the famous cellists will give birth to new musicians, concerts, unique pieces of music and new achievements.
