ŠKODA Superb Estate: Remote-Controlled Boot

A first-of-its-kind TV commercial lets viewers experience the remotely controlled boot of the ŠKODA Superb Estate. Instead of watching a feature, you try it from your sofa.

How the TV mechanic makes the feature feel real

As described in campaign write-ups, the idea took advantage of a Polish viewing habit: TVP1 sits on channel 1 and TVP2 on channel 2. Two complementary spots were aired simultaneously, so switching between channels with the remote effectively becomes the “control” that opens and closes the boot on screen.

In European automotive marketing, turning a feature demo into a familiar at-home interaction is a fast way to convert passive viewing into remembered proof.

Why this lands better than a standard feature film

The creative does not ask people to understand the engineering. It makes them feel the benefit. Remote-controlled boot becomes “I can operate this without effort,” because the viewer’s own hand is already doing the controlling.

It also makes the demo inherently retellable. People do not describe it as “an electrically operated tailgate.” They describe it as “I controlled the boot with my TV remote.”

What the brand is really buying

This is not just awareness. It is embodied comprehension. The viewer takes a small action, sees a result, and the feature moves from claim to experience. That shift is valuable when the product benefit is convenience, because convenience is easiest to believe when you have just felt it.

What to steal for your next “simple feature” launch

  • Make the audience perform the benefit. If the action is theirs, the memory sticks longer.
  • Use an existing habit. Channel switching is already learned. No instruction burden.
  • Keep the mapping literal. One action. One visible response. No abstraction.
  • Design for one-sentence retell. If people can explain it instantly, they will share it.

A few fast answers before you act

What is the core idea of this commercial?

To let viewers “try” the Superb Estate’s remote-controlled boot from home by turning a TV viewing action into a simulated control action.

Why use two channels at the same time?

Because switching channels is a natural remote-control behavior. Running paired spots simultaneously makes that behavior feel like operating the feature.

What makes this different from a normal product demo?

The viewer is not only watching. They are causing the on-screen change, which makes the convenience benefit easier to believe.

What kind of features work best with this pattern?

Features with a clear, binary outcome that can be shown instantly, open versus closed, on versus off, locked versus unlocked.

What is the biggest risk when copying this approach?

If the interaction mapping is unclear, people miss the trick and the work becomes just two confusing ads. The “how” must be obvious within seconds.

Mercedes-Benz: Flying Car

Mercedes-Benz, with the help of Ponto de Criacao from Brazil, executed a highly segmented vertical action to increase visibility for the brand among top executives and business people. Stickers of the SLS AMG, also known as “gull wing”, a new edition of the brand’s iconic model, were stuck to windows in shuttle flights frequently used by the target audience.

Flying Car by Mercedes Benz

As a courtesy, passengers also received a miniature car.

Flying Car by Mercedes Benz

In one month, 100% of the target audience was reached, nearly 400 executives.

Why this placement is so effective

  • Context does the work. The illusion only makes sense in-flight, which turns a standard window view into a brand moment.
  • Precision beats scale. Shuttle flights concentrate the exact audience Mercedes-Benz wanted, without wasting impressions.
  • Low friction, high memorability. A simple sticker creates an instant “did you see that?” effect, then the miniature car extends the memory.

What to take from it

When the audience is narrow and valuable, distribution can be the idea. This activation did not rely on complex tech. It relied on selecting the right corridor, placing the message where attention is naturally high, and creating a visual that feels native to the moment.


A few fast answers before you act

What was “Flying Car” by Mercedes-Benz?

It was a targeted activation that placed SLS AMG window stickers on shuttle flights, creating the illusion of the car “flying” outside the aircraft window for executive travelers.

Why use shuttle flights for this?

Because those routes clustered top executives and business travelers, delivering near-perfect audience fit with minimal wasted reach.

What role did the miniature car play?

It extended the experience beyond the flight as a physical takeaway, reinforcing recall after the moment passed.

What is the transferable pattern?

Pick a narrow, high-value corridor, design a context-native visual that only works there, then add a small physical extension to carry the memory forward.