MERCEDES-BENZ USA

never cease / strive beyond

never cease/
strive beyond

The idea for the 2017 LGBTQ+ digital campaign for Mercedes-Benz was born from recognizing the need to hear and say "don't give up," "keep going," and "keep aiming high despite what is happening now." That year's climate was filled with uncertainty and fear, but also with marches and activism, and it was this movement on the city streets that inspired the concept of "Never Cease/Strive Beyond." Mercedes-Benz wanted to be a motivational voice in the lives of their LGBTQ+ drivers.

As part of the Mercedes-Benz creative team at The Mixx, I internally pitched and developed my own storyline for Never Cease: a narrative featuring a Mercedes-Benz owner, a CEO or other successful member of the community, getting up early for a morning run. Their internal drive and persistence, whether in everyday life or at work, is reflected in that run and further amplified by their relationship with the car they love driving. This idea was combined with a second narrative developed by a colleague, and together we created a video following two couples.

I was involved in the pre-production planning (styling, casting, and more) before the shoot, which took place on location in Los Angeles and produced both a campaign video and stills. After the shoot, I designed and developed the social media assets and digital ads.

The idea of 2017 LGBTQ+ digital campaign for Mercedes-Benz was born from recognizing the need to hear and say “don’t give up,” “keep going,” and “keep aiming high despite what is happening now!” In that year, the climate was filled with uncertainty and fear, as well as marches and activism. It was this movement on the city streets that inspired the concept of “Never Cease/Strive Beyond.” Mercedes-Benz wants to be a motivational voice in the lives of their LGBTQ+ drivers. TEST