Mercedes-Benz “140 Years. 140 Places.” in Thessaloniki: Northern Star, authorised Mercedes-Benz distributor and repairer, commissioned One Take Productions to produce the photography and video for the city’s stop on the brand’s global anniversary campaign.
The project at a glance
- Brand: Mercedes-Benz
- Commissioned by: Northern Star, authorised Mercedes-Benz distributor & repairer, Thessaloniki
- Campaign: “140 Years. 140 Places.”
- Production location: Thessaloniki
- Cars: Two new Mercedes-Benz S-Class
- Locations: Thessaloniki Concert Hall · White Tower · Kamara (Arch of Galerius) · Heptapyrgion
The “140 Years. 140 Places.” campaign
In 2026 Mercedes-Benz marks 140 years since the birth of the automobile, and honours the anniversary with a global journey. It began on 29 January 2026, immediately after the official presentation of the new S-Class.
Two new Mercedes-Benz S-Class are covering more than 50,000 kilometres across six continents, passing through 140 selected locations of particular historical, cultural or symbolic significance. At every stop, photography and video are produced linking the car to the identity of the destination.
Thessaloniki was one of those stops. Northern Star commissioned us to produce the material for the Thessaloniki stop.
Four locations in the city
The work started with research: which points in Thessaloniki can hold their own next to a car of this class without overshadowing it and without disappearing behind it. The criterion was not only how recognisable a location is, but whether its scale, material and colour work with the design of the S-Class. A monument that is too large makes the car look small. A background with too much detail pulls the eye away from the bodywork. Access also had to be checked: where a vehicle is allowed in, how it gets there without crossing a pedestrian street, what time of day each location empties of people, and where a permit from the relevant authority is required. Any one of those can rule out a spot that looked ideal on paper. We settled on four:
- Thessaloniki Concert Hall — contemporary architecture, clean lines
- White Tower — the city’s most recognisable landmark
- Kamara, the Arch of Galerius — a Roman monument in the middle of the urban fabric
- Heptapyrgion — a Byzantine fortress overlooking the city
Each location has different light, different traffic and different access restrictions. The day’s schedule was built around them.
What we handled
- Creative direction for the shoot in Thessaloniki, within the campaign’s guidelines
- Research and selection of the city’s locations
- Professional photography of the two new Mercedes-Benz S-Class
- Video of cinematic quality at the selected locations
- Static shots and rolling shots bringing out the design, the details and the identity of the S-Class
- Production management and coordination of the shoot across the four locations
- Securing the permits required for filming
- Selection, post-production and delivery of the final material
What it meant in practice
A production for an international campaign carries two demands at once. The material has to sit alongside what is shot at the other 139 stops, with the same aesthetic and the same quality, and at the same time it has to read as Thessaloniki. We worked the hours when the light favoured each location and arranged the permits in advance, so the crews would not lose time on site. Moving two cars between four points inside the city needs its own schedule, separate from the shooting schedule: routes, parking, time to clean the bodywork before each set-up, and a driver available for every move. At pedestrianised locations, getting the car in needs its own clearance from the relevant authorities. The final material was delivered edited and approved, ready for release to the media.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you work to strict brand specifications?
Yes. On international brand productions the material has to meet specific requirements for framing, colour and product placement. We receive them at the outset and build the schedule around them, so the material is ready to use without corrections.
Do you handle permits for filming in public spaces?
Yes. For this production we secured the permits for all four Thessaloniki locations ourselves. We always arrange them in advance, because at monuments and archaeological sites the process takes time and cannot be sorted out on the day. When a permit is not in place, the crew waits and the day’s schedule falls apart — on a production with two cars and four locations, that costs an entire location.
Do you cover automotive shoots outside Thessaloniki?
Yes, across Greece. The thinking stays the same: first we choose the locations and the hours when the light works at each one, then we build the travel schedule around them. We also check access and permits in advance, so the shoot day goes on the shots.
