Mercedes and A$AP Rocky say it's time for young people to 'grow up' in a new campaign
"Grow up" is what the German car brand has called its new campaign. The video (watch it in full below) starts off by saying "As you get older, life becomes all about following a few simple rules," before it lists some of those rules:
- "be a gentleman"
- "work hard"
- "mind your manners"
- "respect your elders"
- "get a real job"
- "get married"
- "spend time with family"
- "be responsible"
- "dress proper"
- "start a family"
- "be a good role model"
- "move to the suburbs"
- "be humble"
- "pass down tradition"
- "listen to advice"
The video ends with the tagline "time to grow up." Many of the slogans in the video intentionally contradict what's happening. One scene shows a party with the slogan "work hard."
The campaign is a large content effort by the brand, which shot a five-part series of three to five minute videos going in depth on some of the topics mentioned in the ad: spend time with family, get a job, start a family, be a good parent, settle down.
A$AP Rocky features prominently in the trailer, which will air on TV, but the "Get a job" video which features the rapper is the shortest of the series at just over two minutes.
The "Spend time with family" video feels as if Mercedes didn't quite want to go all in. It tells the story of an inseparable couple, Natasha and Kate, obviously in a romantic relationship but at one stage in the video they refer to their relationship as a friendship. This puzzled one YouTube viewer who called out the brand on not being "brave enough to proclaim the love of these two women."
Jens Thiemer, VP of Marketing at Mercedes-Benz said in a press release: "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."