How to Make Your Own Mercedes Car Using Instagram

To celebrate the September arrival of the 2015 GLA compact SUV, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is using the native functionality of Instagram to allow users to build their own version of the luxury compact SUV with a few simple taps in the app.

Allowing consumers to customize their vehicle plays an important role in the online shopping experience, and Mercedes-Benz is providing a unique tool for mobile-first consumers with the @GLA_Build_Your_Own account, says the company.

In order to build the interactive experience, the automaker created hundreds of Instagram accounts, uploaded more than a thousand images and utilized the platform’s tagging functionality. Personalized vehicle options include color, wheels, roof and grille designs.

Here’s how it works:

• Search for Instagram user @GLA_Build_Your_Own
• Click “Tap to start” and the tag to “Choose your color” appears
• By tapping the tag links, the user is linked to another account that displays 11 color options
• After selecting a color, the user taps the screen again to choose one of three wheel options
• From there, the user chooses between a standard roof or a panorama roof and between a standard or illuminated grille
• The user’s personalized GLA is then displayed with the price

The campaign, created in conjunction with digital agency partner Razorfish, is the most recent in a series of activations by MBUSA for the launch of the GLA.

Others include the #GLApacked Instagram photo series, featuring celebrities and influencers such as Ricky Fowler and Tyler James Williams, as well as the Mercedes-Benz Evolution Tour, a nine-city, invite-only concert series.

Photo courtesy: MBUSA