German automaker Mercedes-Benz is proving it knows how to make an impression when it matters.

A short social film titled “Date” juxtaposes the getting ready rituals of a man and woman, as she primps and he details his red Mercedes. For owners, the video highlights the importance of choosing the right tools to care for their vehicle, prompting purchases of Mercedes-brand products.

Getting ready
The one-minute video opens in a bathroom, where a woman wearing a robe and a towel turban stands in front of the mirror. As she carefully applies products to her face, the film cuts back and forth between her beauty routine and a driveway, where a man is cleaning the windshield of his car.

As the car owner moves on to shine his hub caps and clean his dashboard, his date is shown spraying perfume and accessorizing with earrings. The woman pauses to admire her figure in a red dress, and the scene cuts to the man running his hand over the similarly red hood of his car.

The video builds to the moment when he picks his date up. When she answers her door, a look of slight disapproval shows on her face when she surveys his outfit, which consists of jeans and sneakers.

He shrugs and motions toward his car, which makes the impression for him. At the end of the film, the tagline “When it really matters” appears, and the lineup of Mercedes-Benz genuine car care products are shown.

“Date” – Mercedes-Benz original

Mercedes has created other marketing efforts aimed at existing owners that illustrate real-life scenarios.

The automaker showed the wonder and excitement that can come from a vehicle feature often taken for granted.

A short video, “Fireworks,” positions a Mercedes’ windshield wipers as the hero when a rainy night seems destined to ruin a child’s view of the sparklers. Automakers often tout the more high-tech features of their vehicles, but this film shows that Mercedes’ care in a standard piece can help to create magical moments (see story).