The Weeknd
The Weeknd is teaming up with Mercedes to promote the company’s first fully electric SUV, in a commercial that features the singer’s new song “Blinding Lights.”
The commercial, which advertises Mercedes’ new EQC car, is not your typical ad. It runs two and a half minutes and is almost entirely accompanied by music, making it seem almost like a music video.
As some are quickly observing, the ad could become a model for producing music videos in the future — with product placements taken to a whole new level. This could create a win-win situation for both artists and brands, as artists get the cost of their music videos underwritten and brands gain get great publicity and awareness for their products.
Bettina Fetzer, who is vice president of marketing for Mercedes-Benz Cars, says of the commercial, “With The Weeknd as the creative director and performer we are addressing young and digital target groups to a greater extent – a perfect combination for this unique Mercedes moment on the road to an electric future.”
“Blinding Lights” represents the first release from The Weeknd in nearly two years.
The artist previously released the EP My Dear Melancholy in March of 2018. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. His last studio album came out in 2016.
Some believe that The Weeknd may soon release a new studio album. This seems predicated on the fact that the artist just returned to Instagram. He recently also posted a cryptic tweet that stated: “[S]ome chapters are smaller than others. Not this one though …”
In addition to the new song and video, The Weekend is set to appear in a new movie with Adam Sandler called Uncut Gems. The film, which is directed by the Safdie brothers, also features Idina Menzel, Lakeith Stanfield, and Kevin Garnett. It premiers December 13.