16 Mar ‘Grow Up.’
Mercedes-Benz’s gives us its most impressive brand campaign yet in ‘Grow Up.’ Mercedes’ latest ad stars rapper A$AP Rocky showcasing the to do list of growing up. The video campaign starts off saying, “As you get older, life becomes all about following a few simple rules” before it lists:
- Be A Gentleman
- Work Hard
- Mind Your Manners
- Respect Your Elders
- Get A Real Job
- Get Married
- Spend Time With Family
- Be Responsible
- Dress Proper
- Start A Family
- Be A Good Role Model
- Move To The Suburbs
- Be Humble
- Pass Down Tradition
- Listen To Advice
Ironically, many of the slogans being listed contradict the activity seen happening. For instance, one clip shows a party with the slogan “work hard”. This bold campaign move for the luxury car brand exemplifies a forward shift. Jens Thiemer, VP of Marketing, said, “with ‘Grow Up.’, we are reinterpreting traditional values and attitudes towards Mercedes while showcasing their modern-day interpretation and relevance within generations x and y.”
‘Grow Up.’ is undoubtedly an unconventional campaign for Mercedes-Benz. This renovated image not only appeals to a younger demographic then the ‘typical’ Mercedes-Benz buyer, but the consistent digital focus and mechanics of its content almost comes across as a non-advertising campaign, both visually and content wise. The creative direction embodies more of a content marketing vision than we’ve seen before for Mercedes. As the vehicles serve more as an imagery backdrop than the main focus, the intense emotional tales promote the brand greater than the product itself. ‘Grow Up.’ is much more than a major campaign about model series,” Thiemer continues. “It is a further move forward by the brand as a whole toward more modernity, progressivism, and dynamism across the entire brand identity of Mercedes-Benz.”
Quite successfully, ‘Grow Up.’ provokes and inspires. It really gets you thinking about where life has taken you so far, how much of the to do list you’ve checked off, and are you actually a grown up? Even after the video completes, the message keeps going.