Mercedes-Benz turns 125 this year, and as part of its anniversary celebrations, it has launched a contest titled First Thoughts. The venerable innovator sees this not only as a way of commemorating the invention of the first automobile ever, but also as a way of encouraging future innovation and reinvention.

The premise of First Thoughts, which has its very own microsite, is this: if you have an idea about how the car of today can be improved, describe your idea in less than 5,000 characters and submit it to the microsite. A picture can be included to support your idea.

Garner at least 50 ’Likes’ on the microsite within a week to become eligible for a weekly prize of a weekend test drive with a Mercedes-Benz car. To be eligible for shortlist into one of the top 50 entries, your idea must have 100 ’Likes’ or more.

The best of the top 50 entries will win the Grand Prize of 2 return air-tickets to Germany and a visit to the famous Mercedes-Benz factory in Stuttgart where, we hear, “a truly unique experience” has been prepared for the winners.

As the best ideas will also be incorporated into future models, this offers many people a very real and empowering opportunity of turning ideas and dreams into reality.

These top 50 ideas will be evaluated by actual Mercedes-Benz engineers, and will be judged based on their originality, sustainability and impact.

Ideas may be submitted up to 8 June 2011, and the Grand Prize winner will be notified on 30 June 2011. Anyone can participate, as Mercedes-Benz looks upon the contest as a “collaborative ’brainstorm’” open to all Singaporeans.

Mercedes-Benz’s goal is to attract and engage as large a segment of the population as possible, and to reach the next generation of drivers and thinkers, they are leveraging on a full spectrum of digital media channels and platforms.

First Thoughts
www.firstthoughts.com.sg