With the all-new audio format “Future Dimensions”, Mercedes-Benz is taking its successful “Let’s Talk Mercedes” podcast series into the future. Its first season of four episodes spotlights bold visions of the future that will move companies and society in the decades to come. Today the first episode goes online, which deals with the question of whether luxury can be sustainable.
In each episode of the new feature podcast “Future Dimensions”, host Ricardia Bramley takes listeners into a fictional future scenario presented as a radio play – utopias come true that may seem unthinkable today. As she progresses, the seasoned podcaster turns attention to the crucial question at the heart of each episode: What must happen to make these visions a reality?
In her search for answers, the host examines megatrends, reveals compelling facts, and puts them into context – with lots of charm, a touch of humour, but also a critical eye. International experts with different positions and points of view also have their say.
The range of topics addressed by “Future Dimensions” links the automotive industry with various lifestyle environments. It covers everything from sustainable luxury to the future of travel and the potential of innovative materials to the question of how fiction and reality continue to inspire each other. In this way, the new audio format appeals to not only journalists from the automotive and lifestyle sectors and Mercedes‑Benz customers and stakeholders, but also listeners from the general public who are curious about trends and the future.
“An audio stage for bold visions”
“When it comes to the future, we at Mercedes-Benz aspire to not only help shape it, but also to actively lead the way and inspire,” explains Bettina Fetzer, Head of Communications and Marketing Mercedes-Benz AG. “To invite as many people as possible to join us on this journey, we want to communicate what this future has in store for both customers and fans of the brand and those who have not yet had any contact with Mercedes-Benz. We deliberately chose to create a stage for inspiring storytelling and bold visions from extraordinary thought leaders with the ‘Future Dimensions’ podcast. After all, today is the time to shape what our future will look like.”
For this mission, Mercedes-Benz is also taking the next step in editing and production, explains Bettina Fetzer: “The strength of podcasts lies in the images that the format evokes in the listener’s mind. That’s why Mercedes-Benz uses radio play-like passages in ‘Future Dimensions’ and supports what is said with immersive soundscapes.”
Premier episode available now: Luxury and sustainability – (not) a contradiction?
How can luxury and sustainability go hand in hand? Based on this question, the first episode of “Future Dimensions” illustrates a future in which humanity uses resources responsibly, producing and consuming luxury products in environmentally friendly ways. Using the fashion industry as an example, the episode explores how change is already manifesting itself in many places – and shows why every luxury company will need to address sustainability in the future. Talking to luxury expert Antonio Paraiso and scientist Dr Wided Batat, host Ricardia Bramley learns what constitutes luxury today. Together with fashion designer Sofia Ilmonen and Dounia Wone from Vestiaire Collective, a platform for second-hand luxury fashion, Bramley highlights the extent to which the fashion industry is already becoming more sustainable. Finally, in a dialogue with brand consultant Dr Benjamin Berghaus and futurist Daria Krivonos, she sheds light on how the consumption of luxury goods has changed and which megatrends are currently gripping the entire luxury industry. The episode is available from today.
In the second episode, released on November 10, 2022, the podcast is dedicated to the future of travel. While philosopher Emily Thomas approaches the fascination for getting around from an emotional perspective, Ricardia Bramley peeks over the western horizon: Together with Asia and digital expert Arnold Ma, she discusses which current and upcoming travel trends are and will be moving people in China. Together with futurist Bugge Holm Hansen, the view finally shifts to the distant future – and turns to a vision in which we no longer travel exclusively on Earth but also take holidays on Mars.
The final two episodes take listeners into possible worlds where material innovations fundamentally change our everyday lives and in which science fiction becomes the model for real technologies.
“Future Dimensions” is available in English on the streaming services Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Deezer and the communication platform Mercedes me media. In addition, Mercedes-Benz provides in-depth content on the topics of the individual episodes in a separate podcast special. Listeners can keep up to date with new episodes via the @MB_Press Twitter channel as well as the Mercedes-Benz AG LinkedIn presence.