While the common riddle joke has been used millions of times since it was coined in 1847, German agency Jung von Matt/Neckar took the quip one step further in 2013 when it produced the “Chicken” ad for Mercedes-Benz.
Backed by the infectious Diana Ross song Upside Down, the production shows the demonstration of chickens’ bodies being moved around while their heads remain still to reflect the magic body control functionality of Mercedes V8 cars.
The model uses a stereo multi-purpose camera system to detect unevenness in the car’s suspension and makes adjustments to rebalance it.
The ad was described as a brilliantly simple way to explain complex advanced engineering and the production used professionally handled birds, which were very well cared for. In fact, they were so relaxed on set, it was reported three eggs were laid.
It went on to win Best Car Ad of the Year by car magazine Auto Express in 2014.