Dive Brief:

• Canadian musician The Weeknd is acting as creative director for Mercedes-Benz's new "Enjoy Electric" ad campaign, according to information provided to Marketing Dive.
• The Weeknd's new single, "Blinding Lights," will be the campaign's title track for the EQC, the first fully electric SUV under Mercedes' EQ electric car brand. "Blinding Lights" is available across all major streaming platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, iTunes, Pandora, YouTube Music and SoundCloud.
• The marketing effort includes a video spot directed by Nicolás Méndez that features the musician and shows electric cars through the ages. The campaign was developed by European agency Antoni Garage, in partnership with Universal Music Group and Brands Germany.

Dive Insight:

The fierce competition between luxury car brands Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi requires a marketing strategy that constantly refreshes its appeal to younger buyers, particularly for new, fully electric vehicles that may attract environmentally conscious consumers. With over 8 billion YouTube views and 35 billion audio streams, The Weeknd is a successful musician whose appeal reaches across fans of R&B, pop and hip hop. That range of appeal could help the campaign resonate with younger buyers who demand authenticity from branded musical efforts.

Music is only one of the strategies the car maker has undertaken in recent months to keep its brand relevant. Mercedes in August debuted an interactive augmented reality and voice-driven experience at the U.S. Open in Queens, New York, which included a virtual tennis lesson from brand ambassador and 2017 champion Sloane Stephens. Campaigns that combine ambassador partnerships — whether Stephens or The Weeknd — appear to be connecting with consumers. Mercedes was found to be one of the most meaningful brands in a study conducted earlier this year by agency Havas.

In further efforts to woo new consumers, the car brand has also looked to counter gender stereotypes with female-focused campaigns. Last May, Mercedes joined Mattel to give away thousands of toy cars to girls, replicas of the car driven by record-breaking female driver Ewy Rosqvist. Previously, the brand released a four-minute YouTube film about Bertha Benz, wife of Mercedes-Benz founder Carl Benz, in honor of International Women’s Day.